Sons of the Sea
by LadyAnalyn
Summary: Owen and Ianto share a couple of secrets that they keep from the team. During Ianto's suspension they decide to tell the truth. They are half-brothers but the other secret may just send the team into shock and in one case vehement denial. Let's just say the boys are a little more than meets the eye. CH9 has been REDONE!
1. Chapter 1

**Here's another little experiment of mine that I have mostly done.**

**I hope this little prologue peaks your curiosity.  
**

**This starts during Ianto's suspension after Cyberwoman.  
**

* * *

Prologue

He told himself that it was because he wanted to make sure Ianto didn't do anything nefarious. But if Jack was honest with himself, he was following Ianto to make sure he was all right and didn't try to do anything stupid like commit suicide in his emotional state.

So he was especially concerned when, in the second week of his suspension Ianto went to the beach. It was a gloomy evening and no one else was about. Jack was worried Ianto might try to drown himself and was about to step out of his hiding place when he saw Owen.

Owen sat on the sand next to Ianto and put a hand on his shoulder after a minute or two. Jack wasn't close enough to hear what they were saying but they looked awfully chummy. What was up with that? They weren't friends were they?

Jack ducked down when he saw Owen about to turn his way. When he put his head back up, both men were gone. What the…?

Jack went down to where they had been but there was no sign of them, not even a single footprint. Where the hell had they gone?

…

* * *

Ianto didn't think Jack had followed him today but one never knew with that guy. It was obvious Jack was worried about him but just what kind of worry was it? Did Jack truly care or was he just concerned that Ianto might do something else traitorous?

When Ianto got to the thankfully empty beach, he sat down and just stared out at the water. What had he been thinking? He knew in his head that it was too late to save Lisa but his stupid heart had to disagree. He just had to try and fight the alien technology. Damn aliens, why'd they have to come to this planet anyway? What was so fascinating about it? Life would be so much easier without them, then Ianto would never have met Jack and that would be ideal. Wouldn't it? Of course it would, Ianto told himself because he was not in the slightest bit attracted to that hypocritical bastard. He knew Jack had his secrets too, dark secrets, he just didn't know what they were. Though there was something off about him.

"When you weren't at your flat, I thought I'd find you here" Owen approached him.

Ianto didn't look at him "I thought you weren't speaking to me."

Owen sat next to him "I wasn't. Now I am."

"It's been two weeks, why now?"

Owen sighed "Jack's gonna let you back, I'm gonna have to talk to you sometime. Besides, I'm your brother."

"Half-brother."

"Still" Owen put a hand on his shoulder "I can't condone what you did the way you did it but you know I understand why."

"I regret the way I went about it."

"You should have come to me."

"I know and I'm sorry I didn't" Ianto sighed miserably "You think we should tell them about us?"

"That we're brothers or…"

"Both. Owen, I'm sick of lying and if Jack finds out on his own…" he shuddered "I don't know what he'd do."

"I know but what makes you think they'd believe us?"

"We have to try."

"Well" Owen looked in all directions "we have to clear it with Father first." He stood and pulled Ianto with him "let's go."

And the two of them walked into the waves.

* * *

**What was that about? Did they just walk into the waves? Please review if you want to know why. There will be more explanation in the next chapter but only if you want to see it.**

**TTFN  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**I am pleasantly surprised at the response this story has received for just the prologue. Thank you so much to all of you. I hope you continue to enjoy it.  
**

**Okay this story is about Owen and Ianto which is why the audience will know what they are before the team does. I think it's much more fun to know before the team that way it's more enjoyable to watch them freak out and be confused. Wouldn't you agree?**

**Anyway there will be Gwen bashing in this story so if you like her then…well, you probably shouldn't read this. I mean, I don't think it's too bad but everyone has their own opinion. I can't help it, I'm a Janto extremist and Janto extremists hate Gwen's guts. We see what nobody else sees. But there's not much Janto in what I have written so far but you never know what could change. **

**Disclaimer: This involves mythology, mainly Celtic and I get my information from , ****Celtic Myth and Magick**** by Edain McCoy and various mythology books. Just so you know.**

* * *

When Owen and Ianto reached their father's palace under the Celtic Sea the evening meal was underway.

Owen sniffed the air "Smells like lobster. We picked a good day. You should tell him about Lisa too."

Ianto took a breath "He probably already knows. Old tunnels in the Hub lead into the ocean and you know he has spies everywhere."

"True but he's not as bad as other sea gods."

"That's a good point" Ianto nodded "he doesn't have Poseidon's temper."

They changed into the traditional Celtic clothes they were required to wear in their father's presence and then made their way to the dining hall.

"What do you think about Gwen?" Owen asked after a while.

"Why?"

"I kissed her."

"When?"

"When we were hiding in the lab."

"And what, you're in love with her now?"

"Gods, no. I'm just wondering if you think I should go for it with her."

"She has a live-in boyfriend and she fancies Jack."

"Exactly why it would be easy to have an affair with her—the girl doesn't know what she wants."

Ianto shrugged "Why are you asking me? I don't care who you sleep with but you really should consider Tosh instead. I'd much prefer her as a sister-in-law."

Owen held up a finger "Tosh is serious relationship material. I am not looking for a serious relationship."

"And what's Gwen, someone you can just use, break up her own serious relationship and then discard like yesterday's news?"

"I thought you didn't care who I slept with. Do you fancy her or something?"

"Great Brighid, no; I'd take Jack over her. I just don't want to see anyone get hurt, that's all."

"So you fancy Jack?"

"No" Ianto may have said that a little too quickly.

"Well what's wrong with Gwen?"

"She's overly sympathetic, in such a way that you cannot tell if she's sincere or not. She's also a bit wishy washy, if it's Jack she wants, she should just leave her boyfriend."

"I think she's waiting for Jack to coming riding in on a white stallion and sweep her off her feet."

"That's never going to happen while she's with someone else. Jack Harkness is a lot of things; a home wrecker isn't one of them."

"You're right" Owen agreed. They came to the dining hall "let's go."

"Although" Ianto said as they entered the hall "Jack would look rather dashing on a white stallion."

Owen decided to ignore that…for the moment.

Their father Llyr, the Celtic god of the sea sat at the head of the table, their (for some reason) more famous half-brother Mannarn Mac Lir sat to his right.

Llyr stood when he saw them "My boys, I'm glad to see you."

"We know we should have called first" Ianto said.

Llyr waved a hand "Nonsense, you do not visit nearly enough and you both live so close to the sea. Join us" two empty seats appeared next to Mannarn.

They sat and Owen immediately began to fill his plate "You should eat something Ianto."

"I'm not hungry."

Llyr sat back down "What's the matter, child?"

"That's one of the things we need to talk about" Owen told him as he dipped his lobster tail in melted butter.

"You've lost someone dear to you" Mannarn, as usual correctly guessed.

Ianto nodded "Yes but it's more than that. Tad," he looked at Llyr "we can't keep lying to our friends."

"Eat some supper Ianto and then we'll talk."

…

After supper Ianto told Llyr everything. As Ianto had suspected, his father already had some idea.

Llyr sighed and leaned back in his throne "And now you two wish to tell your colleagues about the Otherworld?"

"Well yeah" Owen said "Ianto's right, we can't keep lying to them. They know about aliens, they should know about the weirdness that is indigenous to Earth too. Besides, if something were to happen where they found out without us telling them, they'd never forgive us."

"I have watched these humans. I think the Japanese girl will believe you but the other two…"

"We know" Ianto said "they're the most sceptical. Jack especially."

"Yes, I am most concerned about him. He was not born on this planet or this time."

"What?" Ianto and Owen's mouths hung open.

"You didn't know? It's easy to tell if you look closely."

Ianto suddenly remembered the night they caught the pterodactyl.

_You smell like that naturally?_

_51__st__ century pheromones, you people have no idea._

"He's from 3,000 years into the future" Ianto said.

Llyr nodded.

"He's what? How do you know?" Owen asked.

"Something he said to me months ago about the way he smelled."

Llyr stood up "The boy has also been touched by the Time Vortex, most likely when he was travelling with that Time Lord."

"Time Vortex," Owen muttered "so that's what's off about him. That means he can't be killed, right?"

"He can be killed, he just can't stay that way. No guide of souls will touch him now so he is forced to return to his body and be healed. "

"That explains a lot, the cyberwoman deleted him twice."

"What?" Ianto looked at him.

"It was when you were unconscious."

"Wait" Ianto said to Llyr "so Jack being touched by the Time Vortex means he's not allowed in the Afterlife?"

"Correct."

"Why?"

"I do not know. You'll have to ask one of the Lords of the Dead or a guide of souls. You may tell your friends if you think they can handle the truth and if they cannot go on faith alone, you may bring them down here."

…

Owen and Ianto would have liked to stay the night but knew that wasn't possible with Jack continually checking up on Ianto.

"I could just call Jack and tell him you're with me" Owen suggested.

"Too many questions right now. We need to figure out how to tell them."

"Yeah, we should watch them awhile first. Word on the street is that the Nightmare Fae will be showing up soon."

"All right, we'll see how they handle that."

"You gonna talk to Arawen or Oghma about Jack?"

"Not now and neither of them. Hermes knows everything."

"Hermes is a gossip."

"That's why he knows everything. And anyway, there are guides of souls but Hermes is _the_ Guide of Souls. He's the president of their guild or something. Let's get back to shore before Jack notices we're gone."

…

* * *

Jack waited on that beach for two hours before deciding to give up. He either missed them somehow or Ianto and Owen just walked into the water. Considering it was unlikely they had a suicide pact, he figured he just missed them. He had missed them somehow and both their mobiles were turned off.

He returned to the Hub, intending to change his shoes before going to Owen's flat when the man in question called.

"I've been trying to call you" Jack said by way of greeting.

"I know" Owen said "sorry. Had my phone off. I checked on Ianto, to make sure he's eating, you know 'cos I don't trust your opinion. So I dragged him to a movie so he'd at least eat something."

"You couldn't just buy him dinner?"

"Ianto's the type to eat something in front of him when his mind's focused on something else."

"Well, all right, just let me know next time."

"Will do" Owen hung up.

Jack learned something that day; he learned that Owen was a terrible liar. If Owen wanted Jack to believe that bullshit, he should have had Ianto tell it to him. Ianto was a phenomenal liar.

Jack sighed. Maybe they were having an affair…nah, not those two. They certainly didn't act like friends, now that Jack thought about it, they acted more like…Jack went down to the lab. They had DNA testing stuff didn't they?

* * *

**So what do you think? Your reviews mean a lot.**

**TTFN  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Second time I re-wrote this darn episode and I have removed the Gwack moments with this one too.**

**Ianto's back from his suspension but he and Owen haven't told the team what they are yet.**

**Disclaimer: contains dialogue from series 1 episode "Small Worlds" and I have altered it quite a bit. Oh and I forgot to tell you before, this story will contain conversations of a controversial nature and no offence is intended whatsoever. And as the story progresses you may find the brothers acting a little different than what we're used to.**

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

Owen and Ianto went to a bookshop instead of lunch like they told Jack. There was a woman lecturing on fairies and they knew they had to check it out.

"I suppose I'm one of the fortunate few who's been allowed to see our little friends," the woman, Estelle Cole was saying "And it's been no easy task," she continued. "One needs to have the patience of a saint and the blind faith of a prophet."

"Woman doesn't know what she's gotten herself into" Owen whispered to Ianto.

"I know, even if these aren't the Nightmare Fae. Why can't people just accept things on faith? Why must they have proof?"

"Because, brother dear, faith is an endangered species."

Ms Cole put up a blurred close-up of the fairy lights. "Well, of course, I'm not the world's best photographer. But this little person is just about visible. I was so lucky to have seen them, so privileged to witness such a magical moment. Because fairies are shy, you see. But I know in my heart that they're friendly, loving creatures." She turned off the projector "Thank you."

"Shy and nasty" Owen muttered.

They applauded politely and then approached the podium.

…

Jack had intended to bring Owen and Ianto to Estelle's lecture and use a Boy's day out as an excuse to confront them about being brothers. But they were already out of the Hub by the time he remembered so he brought Gwen instead. Tosh looked busy.

Gwen however seemed bored by the whole thing.

As the small audience began to leave when Estelle was finished—she got it wrong again—Gwen said "Is that Owen and Ianto up there? What are they doing here?"

"What?" Jack looked and sure enough, his boys—they were _his_ boys, you see—were approaching Estelle. Jack thought quickly, "Gwen, you can go back to the Hub."

"You sure?" she stood.

"Yeah."

"Okay, let me know about the boys" seems she couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Jack stood and went up to the front. Ianto saw him first. He tugged at Owen's sleeve "Uh, Owen."

…

"That was a very enlightening lecture Ms Cole" Owen told her.

"Why thank you young man" she smiled at him.

"Uh Owen" Ianto tugged at his sleeve.

"I'm Owen and this is my brother Ianto."

"Owen" Ianto tugged harder.

"What?" Owen turned to see Jack.

Jack grinned at them "So you two _are_ brothers? I knew it. We'll talk later. Hello Estelle" he hugged her.

"Oh I'm so glad you could make it."

"I wouldn't miss it. I see you've met my friends."

"We're screwed" Owen said to Ianto.

"And not in a good way." Ianto gave Estelle a smile "It's a pleasure ma'am. You seem to know a lot about the Good Neighbours."

"We were taught that they don't like it when you call them fairies" Owen said.

"Oh yes" Estelle nodded "I've been studying them all my life but I've found that they really don't mind what they're called. What did you think, Jack?"

"Very interesting" he looked at Ianto and Owen as he said that and then he said to Estelle "can I get a closer look at your slides?"

"Of course you can."

Jack held up the slides "I hope you boys aren't planning on going anywhere."

"Of course not sir" Ianto said.

"Estelle, when did you take these?" Jack asked.

"A couple of nights ago" she answered.

"Where?"

"Roundstone Wood."

Owen bit back a groan. This was not good. There were no genuine fairies in Roundstone Wood—not since before the Roman Occupation.

Estelle smiled up at Jack, "So good to see you again, Jack. Oh, look, there's the wood." She handed him a photo.

He sighed.

"What is it?" Owen and Ianto asked.

Estelle looked at them "Oh, Jack and I have always disagreed about fairies. I only see the good ones. He only ever sees the bad."

"They're all bad."

"No. I refuse to believe that."

"There must always be a balance between good and evil" Ianto pointed out

Owen nodded "Right and if there are bad fairies, then there must be good ones as well. Otherwise the world would be thrown out of equilibrium."

"Exactly," she smiled at them "Oh, Jack, if only you had seen them there in the wood. They were happy. They were dancing. The fairy lights were shining."

Jack seemingly ignored their words "Do you have any more photos?" he asked Estelle.

"Yes, at home."

He smiled down at her, "Right. I need to see them all."

…

* * *

Owen and Ianto carried Estelle's things into her house, Jack didn't lift a finger.

"Oh thank you boys. This is Moses" she indicated a grey cat on the sofa.

Ianto scratched behind his ears and said hello in Cat Speech.

Estelle handed Jack a portfolio. "They're mostly just pictures of the area."

Jack started to look through the photos, Ianto and Owen looked over his shoulder.

Estelle picked up Moses "Come on, my darling, it's quite time you went outside, isn't it?" She left the room and Jack continued to look at the photos.

They were mostly of the woods so the boys started to look around the room. Owen silently indicated a picture of what appeared to be Jack and a much younger Estelle.

They communicated silently.

_How long has he been immortal? _Owen wondered.

_Certainly explains the way he dresses._

Jack must have seen them looking "That's my dad."

_And Fionn MacCumhal doesn't need to shop big and tall, _Owen thought.

"You look just like him," Ianto told Jack, "were he and Estelle an item?"

"Once upon a time" Jack said wistfully "I check in on her every now and then." He put the photos back in the portfolio "Come on, we're done here."

He went to the back garden where Estelle still was. Owen and Ianto followed.

"Estelle," he said to her "when you next see these creatures you call us immediately,  
understand?"

"Mm-hm."

"Night or day, it doesn't matter, just call us. And be careful, it's important to me."

"But, Jack, I've nothing to worry about."

"Just be careful. Please." Jack put an arm around Estelle's shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

…

"Estelle shouldn't be living in town." Jack said as the three of them left the house "She belongs in the countryside."

"Do you see much of her?" Ianto asked.

"We meet up now and again."

They left the front garden and started down the sidewalk.

"Whenever these fairies come 'round, I take it?" Owen said.

"She calls them fairies. I don't."

"If they're not fairies, what do you think they are?"

"They've never really had a proper name" Jack said while wondering what the boys' opinion of the whole thing was. What was it they were talking about back at the shop, balance between good and evil?

"Why not?" asked Ianto.

Jack answered anyway "Something from the dawn of time - how could you possibly put a name to that?"

"Not alien are they?"

Jack shook his head, "Worse."

"How can they be worse?" Owen asked.

"Because they're part of us, part of our world, yet we know nothing about them. So we pretend to know what they look like. We see them as happy. We imagine they have tiny little wings and are bathed in moonlight. Think dangerous, think something you can only half see like a glimpse, like something out of the corner of your eye with a touch of myth, a touch of the spirit world, a touch of reality, all jumbled together."

Owen and Ianto shared a look.

"Old moments and memories that are frozen in amongst it," Jack continued, "Like debris spinning around a ringed planet - tossing, turning, whirling. Then backwards and forwards through time. If that's them we have to find them ... before all hell breaks loose."

Owen sighed heavily "Nightmare Fae, that's what they're called. At least that's what we call them."

"What?" Jack stared at them "We call them?"

Ianto nodded "Yes sir and we'd banish them if it weren't for the rules of living in mortal society."

Jack blinked "What?" he said again for lack of anything else.

Ianto sighed "I think the jig is up Owen."

"Yeah, look Jack, this is gonna take a while so let's deal with the Nightmare Fae first and then we'll explain everything. For now, let's just say we know about the supernatural and have magikcal powers."

Jack wasn't sure what he was hearing, this was just unbelievable. Owen and Ianto had magic powers? What? Jack took a breath "I'm hearing what you're saying but…okay one thing at a time. Nightmare Fae?"

"Yeah" Owen nodded "part fairy, part mara."

"All demon" Ianto added, "they're not gonna stop till they get what they want and they'll kill anything that gets in their way."

"Yeah I know that part."

"That's why you gotta get Estelle to back off" Owen said "she has no idea what's going on."

"We can help protect her though" Ianto said.

"All right, well let's get back to the Hub and tell the girls what's going on. Wait, what kind of magic powers?"

"We're good with water."

…

* * *

**Oh dear. How do you think the girls will take it? And what do you think the brothers will do if one of them denies the existence of magic? Such an attitude, after all, is very insulting to those with magic.**

**Please review. Thank you kindly.**

**TTFN**


	4. Chapter 4

**You people amaze me. I am utterly astounded at the response this story has gotten. Thank you so much to everyone who has been reviewing and putting this on alert and in their favourites. By all means, keep it up. ;) Sugar on top?  
**

**In this chapter, I think it counts as Gwen bashing just to warn you if that's not your bag. The boys let the girls know what's going on and we find out just how divine the brothers are. We also find out something cool about Tosh. Now at times the gang may seem a touch OOC but this is an AU for obvious reasons.**

**Oh and I meant to tell you before but it wouldn't let me because I stupidly typed what you would type in the 'go to this website bar' (well I don't know the technical term). I also get my information from website called godchecker. The info is presented in a humorous way but it is very helpful.**

**Please enjoy.**

* * *

As soon as they returned to the Hub, Jack announced without preamble "Okay, we got bad demon-like things apparently called Nightmare Fae and Owen and Ianto have magical water powers."

"Well that's one way to do it" Owen muttered.

The girls needless to say, looked surprised.

Gwen's big eyes got even bigger "What was that Jack? Are you kidding?"

"I don't make up stuff like that."

"Is this true?" Tosh asked Owen and Ianto.

They both nodded.

"But it's a bit more in depth than that" Ianto said.

"Oh come on," Gwen scoffed "you're having us on. There's no such thing as magic."

Ianto and Owen bristled. That comment was highly insulting.

"You think so huh?" Owen said and held up his hand. A geyser of water shot up from the pool "How do you feel about getting wet, Miss Cooper? Just a flick of my hand."

"No!" exclaimed Tosh "you'll get the computers wet."

Owen held his hand still.

"It's a fountain," Gwen said "and one of you has a remote control. Jack, you don't actually believe this do you?"

Jack crossed his arms "I'm reserving judgement."

Owen rolled his eyes "Ianto, walk on the water."

"Why do I have to walk on the water?"

"Because I'm controlling the geyser."

Ianto sighed and walked out onto the pool of water. He even leaned against the geyser without getting wet.

"How do you explain that one Cooper?" Owen asked.

"It's an illusion," she said "there's a plank under the water and the…"

"Oh please" Tosh walked to the edge of the pool "why would they go through all this trouble?"

"I must admit" Jack said "I have trouble believing they would work together to prank us."

"But magic isn't real" Gwen persisted.

Tosh, bless her, walked into the pool and to where Ianto was. The water was to her waist the splashing from the geyser had her soaked in seconds.

"You're in on it too" the Welsh woman accused.

Owen was starting rethink his idea of shagging her. "You call yourself Welsh?" he stopped the geyser.

Ianto sighed "That doesn't mean anything these days, Owen. It's a terrible shame. I blame the Romans." He walked back to the floor "Come on out of there Tosh and I'll get you dry."

Tosh got out of the pool and stood by Ianto.

"Gwen," Ianto said "you see how Tosh is drenched? Now watch" Ianto snapped his fingers and in an instant Tosh was completely dry.

"It must be a trick. Tosh how can you believe them?"

Owen growled in frustration "Look let's just deal with the Nightmare Fae first and then we'll do something to really prove it."

Jack nodded "I agree, so Gwen, suspension of disbelief for now. Let's get to work."

….

"Why do you believe us?" Ianto asked Tosh when he brought her a cup of coffee as she was scanning Estelle's photos.

"My grandmother practised the Shinto religion and she used to tell me all sorts of stories."

"And you believed her?"

"I couldn't help it, she was just so sincere. That and she once took me to meet her grandmother who lived in the mountains."

"Your great-great grandmother was still alive?"

"Yes, she still is. She's a dragon."

Ianto stared at her a moment and then smiled "I knew there was something special about you, Toshiko Sato."

…

"That explains why she's so damn smart" Owen said when Ianto told him.

Ianto was fixing more coffee for the briefing they were about to have "I don't know why neither of us saw it sooner."

"Yeah well, I think I'm starting to rethink that whole I want to shag Gwen thing."

"Good, she's not right for you."

…

A few minutes later they were around the conference table as Ianto passed out the coffee.

"This is the youngest girl. And the girl's cousin," Tosh had one of the Cottingley glass-plate photos up on the screen.

Ianto put a cup in front of Jack. "The good ones don't dress like that."

"Unless they want to cause a ruckus" Owen muttered.

Jack found he couldn't respond to that.

"But these photographs were fake," Gwen said.

"Conan Doyle believed in them," Owen pointed out.

"He was gaga at the time" Gwen said stubbornly.

"And Houdini."

"Self-publicist," denial seeped from her pores and it caused Owen and Ianto's skin to crawl.

"How do you know so much about it?" Jack asked.

Gwen rolled her eyes and spoke as if it should be obvious "I wrote an essay on the Cottingley glass-plate photos when I was at school."

Owen sniggered.

"And when the girls were old ladies they admitted they were fakes."

Ianto held up a crystal ball that seemingly appeared from nowhere "Perhaps, but you were thirteen and you did not receive full marks."

Gwen's eyes widened "What? How do you know that?"

Ianto held up the ball with a smile "Magic."

Owen choked back laughter.

Gwen's face was red and she crossed her arms "This is ridiculous."

Tosh cleared her throat "So where was this sighting then?" She put Estelle's recent photos up on the wall monitor.

"Thank you, Tosh" Jack sighed "let's bring this conversation back into focus. It's in a place called Roundstone Wood."

"We know it." Owen said "It has an odd history."

"How d'you mean odd?"

"It's always stayed wild. In the ancient times it was considered bad luck to walk in there or even to collect timber. Even the Romans stayed clear of it."

"The Romans were more superstitious than the locals but they were right to stay away from it" Ianto said.

"I've had no report of any sighting" Tosh said.

"You won't." Jack said "These things come in under the radar, but they play tricks with the weather, so set up a program for unnatural weather patterns."

"Right."

"Are you saying our machines can't pick them up?" Gwen asked.

Jack shook his head "Nothing can."

Owen and Ianto shared a look and then said in precise unison "We can."

Jack stared at them "And now we get to this. You are brothers, now what exactly are you?"

"Wait, hold on, they're brothers?" Gwen exclaimed "no way."

"Half-brothers" Ianto corrected "we have the same father."

Owen sighed and stood "this is where it gets a bit more difficult to believe."

"What? You're gonna tell us you're wizards or something?" Gwen said "This isn't Harry Potter."

Owen took a breath "Or something and don't get me started on that farce."

Jack rubbed his temples "Gwen, please no more interruptions. I want to hear what they have to say."

"Before we tell you of our lineage" Ianto began "we must tell you that despite what we are we must adhere to the rules of living in mortal society."

"That means that we can't use our powers to solve your problems" Owen explained.

"Mortal society?" Jack asked.

The boys stood together and said "We're gods."

Gwen opened her mouth but Jack silenced her with a look.

"Our father" Ianto said "is Llyr, Welsh lord of the sea. My mother is LeFay, she's a sea goddess and healer, various drinks; water blessed by her provides an instant cure for all ills."

"That's why he's so good at coffee" Owen said "My mother is Arnamentia, she's a goddess of healing and purification. She's Anglo-Celtic."

Ianto rolled his eyes "Just has to add he's half-English."

Jack's head was racing, it would certainly explain why they just vanished from the beach that day. "I'm not saying I believe you yet but if you are gods, that means you're immortal right?"

"Correct sir" Ianto nodded "we are in fact older than we look."

"But we're still young enough to be considered godlings which is why we have to follow so many rules" Owen said.

"And how old are you?"

Ianto smiled "Let's just say, there is a reason I like your coat; I have the Royal Navy version."

"He also has a fetish for flyboys" Owen muttered.

Ianto whacked the back of his head "Oi!"

Jack decided to explore that comment later "We'll go into this god-thing later. Meanwhile, girls, stay here, keep at your tasks and boys, you're coming with me to Roundstone Wood."

…

In the few minutes it took them to get ready for the wood, Ianto and Owen silently agreed to tell Jack they knew of his quasi-immortality. The only thing they hadn't agreed on was how to bring it up.

"You two are quiet" Jack said when they were about half-way to Roundstone Wood.

"So are you" Owen replied.

"We weren't sure if you were in the mood to talk sir" Ianto said. He was in the backseat and resisting the urge to put his hands on Jack's very tense shoulders and massage them. And just why did he have that urge? Maybe it was his fetish for flyboys. Yes that was it because he was NOT in any way attracted to Jack himself.

"Sure I am, just trying to think of what to start with."

"You must have a lot of questions."

"'Course he does" Owen muttered "he's…well, he's Jack innit he?"

Owen had almost said 'he's mortal' but that wouldn't have been quite right if they intended on telling Jack they knew what he was.

"Is there something you two would like to tell me?" Jack asked "I saw you two looking at each other while we were getting ready. Does that mean something?"

Owen sighed "We were communicating telepathically, yes."

That didn't seem to surprise Jack "And what were you talking about? Me?"

Ianto swallowed "Yes sir. Perhaps you should pull over."

And that was the opening Owen was hoping for "Mind, it won't matter if you crash, we're all immortal here."

Jack slammed down the brakes "What?"

"Only difference is, Ianto and I don't die at all."

Jack apparently didn't hear the horns of the cars backing up behind them because he was staring at Owen and he was about ten shades whiter than he was.

Ianto put a hand on Jack's shoulder "Sir, you may want to pull over. It's starting to sound like New York out there."

Jack shook his head "Right" he eased off the brakes and pulled along the sidewalk. He put the car into park and took a few deep breaths "You know about my little problem then?"

Ianto leaned forward "Being unable to stay dead is hardly a little problem sir. Because of what happened to you, Guides of souls refuse to touch you, that's why you always return to your body." The brothers had decided to be as honest with Jack as they could.

"We can tell" Owen said, actually answering Jack's question.

"Well" Ianto said with his ever present need to be accurate "we always knew there was something different about you but weren't clued in till our father pointed it out. We are still quite young."

"We also know you weren't born on this planet and not for another 3,000 years" Owen told him.

Jack if possible was even paler than he had been and his hands shook. He looked back and forth between Owen and Ianto several times before a shaky breath "You said because of what happened to me. What did happen to me?"

Ianto put his hand back on Jack's shoulder "You don't know?"

"No, I don't. I was killed by daleks and then I woke up."

Ianto shivered at that word, he hated those evil rubbish bins "It was when you were with the Time Lord."

"Yeah. You know about the Doctor?"

Owen stared at him "He was in Torchwood 1, of course he knows about the Doctor."

Jack shook his head "No, that's not what I meant. I can't believe I'm saying this but the gods know about the Doctor?"

"We generally know when aliens visit our planet without permission" Owen snorted "we have alarm systems."

"Then why don't you do anything about it?"

"We do," Ianto said calmly "most aliens stay away. But the gods aren't as strong as we used to be so some aliens get through and it's the Rift that lets most things through."

Jack took another breath "What happened to me then? Why can't I die?"

"You can die" Owen said "you just can't stay that way."

"You know what I mean."

Ianto squeezed Jack's shoulder gently "You were touched by the Time Vortex, it's what allows you time travellers to do what you do. Don't ask why because we don't know. No one's meant to handle it that way."

Jack slumped back in his seat "So I still have to wait for the Doctor to tell me why."

"Even the Time Lords shouldn't use it like that, it doesn't make sense."

"Yeah" Owen said "did he really like you that much to bring you back to life?"

Jack sighed "If he did I guess he wouldn't have left me there. What is the Time Vortex anyway?"

"No one's quite sure other than it allows for time travel. It was created somewhere else, no one knows where. Was a time, long before me and Ianto were born that it was more regulated in this part of the universe, back when Cronus ruled the Titans, even a little after."

"The Mythic Age" Ianto put in "that's the best way to refer to that time."

"Right, but sometime after he was overthrown, the Council of the Gods decided to let it run on its own. After that, the Archaic Age of Greece started. Ask any time traveller, I'm sure he's never met Heracles."

"Because time travellers are kept out of the Mythic Age."

Jack rubbed his temples "I'm getting a headache, so let's deal with these Nightmare Fae things and worry about all this crap later."

"That's what we were saying from the start" Owen pointed out "but you had to go and tell the girls and start a domino effect."

Jack ignored him and put the car back into drive and made good time to Roundstone Wood.

…

* * *

**So, Tosh is part-dragon, how about that huh? Didn't see that one coming, did you? And wow, that was a lot of information Jack learned. How do you think he's handling it? And will Gwen stop being such a sour puss? Oh and Owen meant no offence to anyone who might like Harry Potter.  
**

**Reviews inspire. Thank you so much.**

**TTFN**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you all so much. I can't tell you what reviews mean to me. I really hope you like this chapter.**

**Author's note: Just so there's no confusion: As in my other AU story, "Not Unbreakable" the gods are their own society, if you will, and they all know each other. I've always done things that way, I just can't choose one pantheon over another. Mind you, I do have my favourite gods and one of them shows up in this chapter. Those of you who have read "Not Unbreakable" (if you have that is) you can probably guess who it is. He made me do it. Yes, yes I am crazy. ;)**

**In this chapter Owen and Ianto visit with Estelle, Jack takes the boys for drinks, a "friend" of Ianto's makes an appearance and we learn more about these Nightmare Fae things We also learn a thing or two about actual faeries. I hope you like.  
**

**As always (and I will say this in every chapter) no offence is intended whatsoever.**

* * *

The three of them trekked into the woods, looking for the rocks that were in Estelle's photos.

Owen tensed and stopped "Ianto, do you feel that?"

Ianto stopped too "Someone's watching us."

"Or something."

Jack sighed and looked at them "Are you serious?" Jack's head was rushing with all this new information but if he stopped and really thought about it, his boys didn't seem like a threat, they seemed quite genuine and their abilities could come in handy.

"Yep" Owen pulled something out of his jacket pocket, it was a horseshoe. He held it up "Back off" he said to the air.

Ianto rolled his eyes "that's not the way to go about it, brother dear. We are sons of Llyr and we respectfully request permission to enter here."

Jack had to wonder, what was the point of that if Owen already insulted them? He continued down the path with a role of his eyes. He soon found the rock formation.

He felt a hand on his shoulder which caused him to yelp. It was only Ianto and Owen, Owen looking amused.

Ianto rolled his eyes "You've been spending too much time with Pan, Owen."

Owen jabbed him lightly.

Jack caught his breath "The stones from the photo."

"You know," Owen said "this whole area was forest in primeval times. Most of the development has been built on ley lines."

As they left the woods later, Owen said "If you don't mind Jack, Ianto and I will go set up protection around Estelle's house. She's brought them our attention and they won't be happy."

Jack searched his face "You've dealt with them before, haven't you?"

Owen nodded "1931, you?"

"1909, Lahore. All my men were killed, well so was I."

"What'd you do to piss them off?"

Jack took a shaky breath "Some of my men, they accidently hit their chosen one with the truck, killed her."

"So they'll know you then" Ianto said quietly "and they don't like you. All the more reason to protect your friends."

Jack nodded "Have at it."

* * *

…

Owen and Ianto had told Estelle that they had come to her house without Jack's knowledge because they wanted to swap stories about the faeries. She invited them in for dinner. Of course before they knocked, they encircled the whole house with sea salt.

"Your Welsh rarebit is divine, Ms Cole" Ianto said after swallowing a bite.

"Thank you, my dear. You are such polite young men. Your parents must be very proud."

Owen smiled "Last we checked. You know, Ms Cole, we were wondering, how long have you been interested in the fae folk?"

"Many long years, I suppose it was after I lost touch with Jack's father when I got into it."

"Did you never marry?" Ianto asked.

Estelle shook her head "Oh no, I couldn't. After Jack's father, no one could compare."

_That breaks my heart, _Ianto told Owen silently.

_No joke, poor girl. D'you think Jack's related to Zeus?_

_Really starting to wonder._

After dinner they helped Estelle clear up and clean the dishes. Earning her trust was super easy.

"Boys," she said as she prepared an after dinner tea "I was going to try and call the faeries to me tonight. Would you like to help?"

Draw them here? Maybe show them what they were dealing with, hell yeah. _Ianto, change of plan._

…

Ianto helped Estelle set up her little altar. While they were doing that, Owen went outside and wiped away a bit of the salt, breaking the barrier. Now, all they had to do was wait. He went back inside.

Estelle held up a stone that was completely wrong for calling good faeries and then the wind began to pick up.

"Here we go" Owen said. There was movement out in the garden and a window shattered.

Estelle gasped "Oh my, should we call Jack? Those are the bad ones aren't they?"

Ianto put his arm around her "No and yes."

Owen's eyes morphed from brown to blue the exact colour of the Celtic Sea "I'll deal with this, Ianto look after her." He went outside, hearing Ianto call "Be careful! If anything happens to you, I'll kill you myself!"

The wind grew more violent when Owen stepped into the garden "Hello," he said cordially "remember me? You'll not harm the mortal woman."

An ethereal and creepy disembodied voice replied "Stay out of this young godling, you cannot stop us."

Owen smirked "You wanna bet? Take your best shot."

It began to pound rain and Owen laughed "You think you can stop me with water?"

* * *

…

Jack paced across the Hub. He hadn't heard from Owen and Ianto in hours. He didn't think protecting Estelle would take this long. He expected them back when he and the girls got back from the police station but they hadn't been and their phones were turned off. They really needed to stop doing that, it was starting to piss him off.

"Jack," Gwen drug his name into two syllables—that got on his nerves too "will you relax? If Owen and Ianto really are gods, I'm sure they're fine."

Jack stopped and stared at her "Why are you having such a hard time believing this?"

"Because," she said in a very matter of fact tone of voice "there's no such thing as magic. How can there be? I've never seen it."

Tosh turned away from her monitor "How do you explain what they did today?"

"A trick."

Jack had known Tosh long enough to know when she was getting upset and she was definitely getting upset but she retained her composure as she said "Have you ever seen a million pounds?"

Gwen blinked "Well no."

"Then surely it must not exist."

Way to paraphrase _The Santa Clause_, Tosh.

Gwen sighed exasperatedly "Tosh, you're supposed to be the scientist, the analytical one, how can you believe this? There's no way Owen and Ianto are gods."

"Why are you so against the idea?"

If things escalated, both women would get slappy, Gwen before Tosh and Jack just wasn't in the mood. He stepped between them "If you two are going to fight, let me set up a mud pit first." This got the result he was going for, they both glared at him. He nodded "Good, now listen, Owen and Ianto have offered to really prove it once we've dealt with these fairy things and I'm going to hold them to it."

The cog door opened and finally Owen and Ianto walked in, both looking a bit dishevelled.

"Where the hell have you two been?" Jack demanded "you look like you've been through a hurricane."

"In a sense" Owen muttered.

"The point is, Ms Cole is safe" Ianto said "and we've successfully convinced her to stay away from things she doesn't understand. Now, we'll go change our clothes."

"Can't you just magic yourself dry?" Gwen asked with a touch of mock.

Ianto sighed "That would be a waste of energy wouldn't it? We were trying to make a point earlier."

"And obviously you still haven't gotten it" Owen said and turned to Jack "This ain't over yet Jack. The Nightmare Fae still want their chosen one but they won't be bothering Estelle again."

Jack nodded "Thank you, I appreciate it."

"What exactly are these fairy things we're supposed to be dealing with?" Gwen demanded.

Ianto and Owen ignored her and made their way to the showers.

Jack took a breath and told the girls what he knew of these Nightmare Fae. By the time he finished the boys emerged from the locker room dry and fresh faced "All these so-called fairies were children once from different moments in time, going back millennia. Part of the lost lands."

"Lost lands? What?" Gwen blinked.

"The lands that belong to them."

"Hold on" Owen said "they don't have a specified homestead. They flit about. And they were never real children, they were genuine fairy children put among mortals in place of mortal children: changelings."

"What exactly do they want? Why are they here?"

Jack turned and looked at Gwen. "They want what's theirs - the next chosen one." Then he realised what Owen had said "wait, what? Are you saying that their chosen one isn't an actual child?"

"Nope. They're always changelings. If they're taken by these things before they're given the right to choose between living as a human or returning to the Otherworld, then they become these nasty buggers."

"Changelings who stay in the mortal world often grow up to become famous in the arts and entertainment" Ianto explained.

Gwen stood "I don't understand, are you saying that faeries kidnap human children and replace them? That's not right."

Owen sighed heavily "It's more like they're saving the human parents from grief because the human children usually don't have a chance at a good life."

"Usually?"

Ianto stood next to his brother "They rarely trade for healthy ones but when they do, the children live quite happily in the Otherworld."

"But why do they do this?"

"Does that matter? Not everything has an easy answer, Miss Cooper."

Jack stepped in "Look, we can discuss this later. How do we stop these Nightmare things?"

"Well," Owen said "we can either let them take the changeling or find the kid's fairy parents and ask them to step in. But to do that we need to find out who the kid is."

"How do we do that?"

"Watch the weather."

* * *

…

After sending the girls home, Jack took the boys out to Terra Nova for drinks. He used his charm to get one of the better tables. Owen and Ianto each had a pint of Brains and Jack stuck with water. They had an Ultimate Sharer between them.

"I want to thank you two for protecting Estelle" Jack told them.

"You already have sir" Ianto said.

"I know but it means a lot. Really."

"We know" Owen said "you didn't really think we'd believe you were close with your dad's old girlfriend did you?"

Jack sighed "Figured me out, huh?"

"Not hard sir" Ianto took a drink "it's a shame she never married."

Jack picked up a nacho but didn't put it in his mouth "I know. I wish she'd moved on after I left."

"Apparently nobody compares to you" Owen bit into a piece of chicken "which I find hard to believe."

"Hey, I'm a tough act to follow."

"And apparently narcissistic."

"Why don't you have a drink sir?" Ianto asked.

"Didn't have you pegged as a teetotaller" Owen said.

Jack sighed "Gotta be ready."

"Come on, how much would it take for you to get sloshed?"

Jack thought about it "Quite a bit actually. I guess that's really why I don't drink 'cos one or two just doesn't do anything for me anymore. Before I joined Torchwood, I used to drink a lot, so much that occasionally I would forget I was in the Victorian Age and flirt with people I shouldn't."

The boys cringed and Jack could see the resemblance between them.

"And I thought the forties were bad" Ianto muttered.

"We were still living in the Otherworld in the Victorian Age" Owen explained "you're not allowed to live among mortals till your over fifty mortal years."

"How long are you considered godlings?"

"That depends," Ianto said "the qualifications have altered over the millennia. These days you have to live among mortals for at least a century and be at least three hundred before you can rightfully call yourself a god. You see there's really nothing left for us to be gods of, not like the Elders. No one's going to be worshipping us."

"The New Age movement gives us hope though" Owen added "though why they call it new when they use old ideas is beyond me."

"Paganism is older after all."

Jack finished his water "Wow. You know I think I will have a drink."

"Is this too much too soon?" Ianto asked.

"No, I just want a drink."

…

Owen and Ianto had to drag Jack back to the Hub and then could only get him as far as the sofa.

"You think we should have cut him off after the fifth vodka tonic?" Owen wondered aloud.

"Quite possibly" Ianto sank into Tosh's chair to catch his breath "don't know what he sees in it. Vodka's disgusting. Gods, he doesn't look that heavy."

Owen pulled up another chair and sat "I think it's that 100% wool coat he's wearing."

"At least he passed out before he caused more of a commotion. That was embarrassing."

"Yeah, what was Tom Jones doing there anyway?"

* * *

…

The next morning Tosh's weather program detected a strange occurrence at a primary school. Ianto stayed back at the Hub while the others went to check it out. They had figured the incident at the primary school could involve the chosen one so as soon as they had a name, Ianto would find the child's fairy parents. Well actually he would call someone who could do it much faster.

Once they had the name of Jasmine Pearce Ianto called for Hermes.

The Olympian appeared instantly, wearing nothing but his sandals and hat "You called, Ianto?"

Ianto rolled his eyes "Don't you ever wear clothing?"

"Not for you" his grin was a bit lecherous "what can I do for you? Is this where you work? Very Bat-cave."

"I need a favour. I'll owe you one."

Hermes ran a hand down Ianto's arm "What would you like?"

"I need you to find a changeling's parents. She's the Nightmare Fae's chosen one and they need to be stopped."

"Can't you just let them take her?"

"No, it's complicated."

"All right, what's the human name?"

"Jasmine Pearce."

"I'm on it."

…

Ianto met the others at the Pearce residence "I've got someone searching for the fairy parents" he informed them.

"Who?" Owen asked.

"Does that matter?"

Owen groaned "If you've made a deal with that snake…"

"I'm not listening."

Jack looked at them and was about to say something when they heard screams coming from the back garden "Let's go."

Ianto and Owen were the only ones who could see the creatures attacking the humans and the girl, Jasmine was enjoying it.

Owen jumped at one of the creatures "Ianto, try talking sense into that kid!"

Ianto knelt in front of her "Hello Jasmine" he said gently wondering why he had to do this because Owen was the one who actually liked children—he had five of his own; Ianto had one teenage daughter he had trouble talking to "listen sweetheart you need to calm down. This isn't funny. How does ten pounds sound?"

Owen shoved Ianto out of the way "Jeesh Ianto, no wonder Abby doesn't like you."

Ianto was glad to leave the girl to Owen and ignored that barb about his parenting skills. It looked like the others could see the Nightmare Fae now too. One jumped on Jack and stuck its hand down his throat. Ianto saw it at the same time as Gwen, Ianto got there first and yanked it off Jack and then blasted it with a wave of water "Go back to the Otherworld!"

Jack caught his breath "Thanks, Ianto."

"Anytime."

Then everything stopped, well that is to say most everything. The humans in the garden that were still living and not in Torchwood froze.

"What's happening?" there was a touch of panic in Gwen's voice which was kind of refreshing.

"Time seems to have been suspended" Owen said.

"Why?"

"That was our doing" a beautiful couple appeared in the garden and the Nightmare Fae cowered in fear. The fairy couple were human size, their hair was silver and shimmery and their clothes hung loosely on their bodies. They were both pretty much androgynous except the female had breasts and slightly softer features. They did not have wings though they were floating.

Ianto nodded to them "Good Neighbours, thank you for coming."

"Thank you for letting us know of the situation, Lord Ianto" the male said "I am Firedance and this is my mate Moonbeam."

Suddenly Jack put his hand over Gwen's mouth.

"It's a pleasure" Owen said "this is your daughter then?"

"Yes, Lord Owen" Moonbeam said and went over to Jasmine "we will handle it from here."

Firedance glared at the Nightmare Fae "You are a disgrace to the Fae. You know very well your acts are no longer tolerated." He waved a hand and the creatures disappeared. Then he addressed Ianto and Owen "We shall return Jasmine to her human mother once we remove the influence of the Nightmare Fae." With that he, Moonbeam and Jasmine disappeared.

The other humans began to wake up.

Gwen pushed Jack away from her "Why did you cover my mouth?"

Owen sighed "Jack, you three go on, Ianto and I will clean up here."

"Okay, see you back at base."

…

Since the creatures had killed the human mother's boyfriend or whatever he was, the brothers made it look like a heart attack. The mother's memory of where Jasmine was would be fixed upon the girl's return.

That taken care of, Ianto and Owen returned to the Hub.

As soon as they stepped through the cog door, Gwen started in on them "Fairies actually have names like that?"

* * *

…

**Actually no, they introduced themselves with those names because they knew that's what the humans would expect and humans wouldn't be able to pronounce their real names.**

**Also just so you know the gods even have clubs. I love having them interact with each other, it's always more fun for me. Just imagine Zeus and Thor having a thunderbolt throwing contest. Wouldn't that be awesome?**

**Reviews get the next chapter up sooner. I really do love you all. Oh and right now I'm about half-way done with chapter 7, just so you know how much I have done already. Thank you all so much.  
**

**TTFN  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**First thank you to those of you who reviewed last chapter, I guess it wasn't as popular as the one before it. Oh well. OR everyone was interrupted by real life. I wish I had that. Also thank you to those of you who put it on alert. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter.**

**In this chapter Ianto's at a party, a very naughty party. Then Jack calls him and tells him there's been disappearances in the countryside. In a twist to this, it's just Jack and the boys who go to investigate. It was more fun for me. And hey, no Owen and Gwen moments.**

**Please review. Sugar on top?**

**Oh and the first bit of this chapter is rated M so if that's not your bag you can skip ahead to the next line break.  
**

**And as always, no offence intended. I'll say that each time even if there's not anything possibly offensive in the chapter.  
**

* * *

Olympus

Palace of Hermes

Jack would love this party. There was no doubt in Ianto's mind. Just a bunch of hot naked guys doing each other and snacks; it was definitely Jack's kind of party.

"What are you thinking about?" Hermes sat next to him and handed him a goblet of wine.

"Not much" Ianto took a sip "thanks. I actually do have a question for you."

"What's on your mind?" Hermes lightly ran his fingers down Ianto's thigh.

Ianto shivered "Jack Harkness, he can't stay dead. Why has being touched by the Time Vortex made him untouchable to guides of souls?"

"Why is it concern of yours?" he moved his fingers to Ianto's nipples.

"I work with him. He's my friend. Why must he always return to his body?"

Hermes was trying to distract him, Ianto wasn't having it.

"Hermes."

Hermes sighed "He's wrong. He never should have been brought back to life. It's difficult to explain."

"Try me" just then Ianto's mobile decided to ring.

"I thought I said no cell phones" Hermes said.

"Sorry" Ianto picked it up "it's work. Yes sir" he answered.

Jack obviously heard the moaning and music "Am I interrupting something pleasant?"

"Oh I'm just hanging out at a friend's."

At that moment Hermes chose to lower his mouth to Ianto's cock. Damn.

"It sounds like an orgy" Jack said.

"Well sir…" oh what the hell "it's an all-male sex party."

"And you didn't invite me?"

"Sorry sir, I couldn't but I thought of you. Do you need me for anything?"

"Yeah, I need you back at the Hub. There have been disappearances in the countryside and we need to check it out."

"I'll be right there, sir" he hung up "Hermes, get off."

…

* * *

Owen and Ianto had yet to take the team to meet their father but mainly because Tosh believed them, Jack seemed to and Gwen had stopped questioning them. So meeting their father could wait.

Owen watched as Ianto filled thermoses of coffee for their trek into the mountains "You were with him again weren't you?"

"Who?" Ianto didn't look at him.

"You know who."

"Nonsense Owen, Voldemort isn't real."

Owen groaned "Ianto. You had Hermes find Firedance and Moonbeam and knowing you, you told him you'd owe him. That stands to reason you went to his party last night."

Ianto sighed deeply "And what if I did?"

"You need to stop this crap with him. How many times do I have to say? He may look young but he's a lecherous old Olympian and he's possessive. You know that."

"He's really not so bad" Ianto finally looked at him "and my sex life is not your concern."

"Ianto, I'm your brother. I'm allowed to worry about you and this arrangement or whatever you have with Hermes is not mentally healthy."

Ianto put his hands on his hips and opened his mouth but whatever he was going to retort with was interrupted by Jack.

"Five minutes boys! Make sure you use the bathroom before we leave because I'm not stopping for a potty break."

…

Jack gave the girls last minute instructions "UNIT's on standby if you need assistance while we're gone. It should only be a day or so. You call me if it's anything major."

"Why can't we just go with you?" Gwen asked.

"We don't know what we're dealing with. It could be aliens or demons, we don't know. It's better if it's just the boys and I. You two will be safer here."

"You're being sexist."

"No I'm being realistic. You two are mortal" Jack had told the boys Gwen knew about his dying problem so since those three knew it was only fair Tosh be told as well. "Besides I trust you two to handle things here, I don't see how that's sexist. Now, Owen, Ianto get in the car."

_You think we should have Tosh tell him she's not exactly mortal herself? _Ianto asked Owen silently.

_We'll have to discuss it when we get back._

…

* * *

Before they even left the city limits Jack struck up conversation "So Ianto, who's Abby?" he glanced at him through the rear-view mirror.

"What?" Ianto blinked.

"The other day, with the fairies Owen said that Abby doesn't like you?"

"You heard that?"

"Didn't a N.F. have its hand down your throat at the time?" Owen asked.

"It was just before that and I pay attention."

Ianto sighed "Abby is my daughter. She's fifteen and we don't communicate much."

"Ah, you have kids Owen?"

"Five" Owen answered.

"By different mothers" Ianto muttered.

"Least I'm a good dad, all my kids like me. What about you Jack? You got kids?"

Jack looked uncomfortable but he answered anyway "Alice, she's 39 and we don't communicate much either."

"You're as bad as Ianto."

"For your information her mother is the one who turned her against me because I don't age. Alice doesn't like to see me because I look younger than her."

"Can we talk about something else?" Ianto asked.

"That's a good idea" Jack agreed "I'd suggest out-of-state plates but we're in the wrong country for that and I hate Punch Buggy. How about Eye Spy?"

Owen looked at him "You actually want to play a car game?"

"Why not? Don't make me make it an order. I spy with my little eye something red."

"Jack, you're driving."

"Is it that red BMW in front of us?" Ianto asked.

Owen groaned "I'm putting on my headphones."

…

Once they were on the open road Jack and Ianto fell silent and Owen chanced taking off his headphones. Besides he was bored of music.

He cracked open his window to let in some fresh air, they were the only car on the long and windy road.

"I hate the countryside" he said "It's dirty, it's unhygienic and what is that smell?"

"I think it's called grass" Ianto yawned.

"It's disgusting" Owen snapped at him.

"Maybe you should have come with me last night, Owen. It would have relaxed you."

"You shut up."

"What's wrong with grass?" Jack asked.

"Our father is a sea god" Ianto explained "the farther inland we get the more uncomfortable we get."

"Oh. Well people are disappearing and we're going to find out why."

"Sir, it did seem a little sexist, us leaving the girls at home."

"I hate to agree with Ianto right now but he has a point" Owen said "I get you're worried about them. They are more easily hurt but they're both competent field agents."

Jack nodded "They are."

"Then why'd we leave 'em behind?"

"I thought we could also use this as a boys' camping trip."

Owen stared at him "Sorry did you say _camping_?"

Jack grinned at him.

A little while later they stopped by a lunch van to get a bite to eat and to check the map. Ianto ordered the burgers and Jack and Owen looked over the map.

"Seventeen disappearances in the last five months. Police are clueless," Jack was saying.

"There's a surprise" Owen muttered.

Jack continued "The last known whereabouts of each one is somewhere around here. All within a twenty mile radius."

"Anything else linking them?" Owen asked.

"None of the bodies have ever been found," Jack said "These people just fell off the  
radar. No patterns in age, sex, race. One minute they're here, the next—poof. Gone."

"Probably some sort of weird suicide club with people choosing the same spot to end it all. Gods know, if I had to spend too long up here, I'd want to top myself."

Ianto got the burgers and handed them out "Careful, they're hot" he said after Owen burned himself.

"We'll start with the most recent victim," Jack said "Ellie Johnson. We last have record of her making a phone call. She dropped out of signal mid-call. The coverage map has her placed ... somewhere about here." He pointed to the map, "Looks as good a place as any to set up camp."

…

* * *

Jack and Owen unloaded the last of the gear when they got to the camp site. Owen grumbled the whole time. "What's the matter with a hotel?"

"People are going missing round here." Jack countered "D'you really wanna stay in a place run by strangers?"

"Cos sleeping outside is gonna be a lot safer," Owen muttered.

"Don't gods go camping?"

"Not sea gods, we go fishing."

"Pretend to be human" Jack dropped the gear and left Owen to his own devices.

Owen kicked at the gear, "What am I supposed to do with this?"

A little while later he shouted at Ianto "There's pieces missing!"

"No I checked" Ianto shouted back "it's a bloody camp chair, you're just an idiot!"

Owen stomped up to him "You're the idiot!"

"Whoa" Jack stepped between them "what's going on boys? You've been snapping at each other all day."

"It's between us" Owen crossed his arms and sat down in an already set up camp chair.

"Owen doesn't approve of the party I went to last night."

"Oh? Why? It sounded like fun."

"Figures you wouldn't think it was wrong" Owen mumbled.

"Well it was wrong not to invite me."

Ianto put a hand on Jack's arm "I am sorry sir but I couldn't. It wasn't plus one and Hermes, the host didn't offer an invitation."

Jack clapped his shoulder "It's okay Ianto, I was only kidding. I figured it was some gods only thing."

"Gods and other so called mythical beings. Centaurs are especially fun."

"I bet."

Owen groaned and stood up with a roll of his eyes "I'll go get some fire wood."

…

* * *

**Uh oh. What's Owen gonna find?**

**Please review. I'll post the next chapter when I get the chapter after that started. Reviews will make it happen faster. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. ;)  
**

**TTFN  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you everyone who reviewed, I feel much better. I guess I'm just in one of those places but you don't want to hear about my problems.**

**Anyway, this chapter is a little touchy. It does contain controversial issues and no offence is intended. It's just where the typing took me.**

**Disclaimer: also contains spoilers for that Scooby-Doo movie from 2002. Was that ten years ago? Goodness. You'll see.**

* * *

Owen felt someone watching him once he was in the trees but he didn't hear anything. He dropped the sticks he had gathered and pulled out his gun. He moved cautiously through the trees looking for whomever or whatever was watching him.

He didn't find anyone, well anyone living anyway. After finding the carcass and regaining his composure he hurried for Jack and Ianto. He found them in pretty much the same position he left them in—staring at each other in that flirty lusty way.

"Hey" he said "we have a problem."

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, taking his eyes off Ianto.

"I found human remains back there. Where's my kit?"

"What condition are the remains in?"

"Not pretty" Owen got his kit bag out of the car.

…

"Holy shit" Ianto swore upon seeing the remains and then he took a breath "I've seen worse."

Jack stared him and then shook his head "So have I actually. Is it who we're looking for, Owen?"

Owen knelt down by the body and began his examination.

Ianto started to put up crime scene tape. "Did you see what did this, Owen?"

"No, which really pisses me off," Owen shook his head "Whoever this is, it's not Ellie Johnson. This is a male, maybe late 30s, early 40s. Something just took the flesh and muscle. Any aliens that can do this Jack?"

"Not off the top of my head. Any demons?"

"Biloko," Ianto said "but they're in Africa and prefer females. There's the chivato but…"

They heard the sound of a car starting.

"Is that ours?" Owen asked.

"Yep" Jack took off running, the brothers followed.

By the time they got back to their camp, the SUV was too far to stop.

Jack growled "Son of a bitch!"

Ianto caught his breath "How'd they do that?"

"They couldn't have, unless they had a key" Jack rounded on Owen "you were the last one in the car. Where's your key?"

"Relax" Owen dug through his pockets "I've got it here somewhere. I think."

Ianto rolled his eyes and said to Jack "He's always doing this. Losing his keys."

"You stay out of this, Ianto" Owen snarled.

Jack sighed "Look, it really doesn't matter whose fault it is. We'll get it back. But I'm going to guess it's against the rules for you two to use your powers, isn't it?"

"It would be cheating sir" Ianto said.

"So, you were saying? What's a chivato?"

"Monster in Chile but it also prefers females."

"Are you going to say anything helpful? Is there anything native to Wales that eats people?"

"There used to be ogres around these parts but as for something that eats people and leaves them like that…the most likely answer would be other people."

"Cannibals? Here and now?"

"It's possible," Owen agreed.

"All sorts of sick people left in the world, 21st century or not," Ianto said.

Jack rubbed his temples "I really hope it's aliens."

"What's the matter, Jack? Afraid to deal with the weaknesses of humanity?"

"No."

Owen sighed "Cannibals aren't human, you have to be inhuman to eat your own kind."

"Except," Ianto said "they are technically human."

"I think they're part demon myself."

Jack began digging through the remains of the camp for the GPS "Before you two start arguing again, can we find the damn car?"

…

Jack thought it was great that Owen and Ianto were immortal and had nifty powers that they could use sometimes, he really did. But they gave him less headaches before he knew they were gods.

The SUV had stopped moving and they were now trekking across the hills to retrieve it and find out whatever or whoever stole it.

"I have a question" Jack said as they trekked along "is the Christian devil real?"

Both brothers tensed; clearly this was not a subject they enjoyed.

Ianto asked "Which one? There are several demons or devils in the Christian belief system."

Jack paused "Any I guess. But I meant the one everybody talks about."

"Who? Lucifer?" Owen asked.

"Yeah."

"There is a very powerful demon by that name, yes" Ianto said "he and his ilk only go after those who believe in him."

"Why do you think most of the people who get possessed are always Catholics?" Owen said.

"I always thought it was propaganda."

Ianto sighed "Church may lie about some things, their belief in demons is not one of them."

Jack took a breath "So assuming we're dealing with humans do you think a demon could be influencing them?"

"Most definitely" Owen nodded "even if they don't know it."

"I don't know" said Ianto "some people are just evil."

"Yeah, but what makes 'em evil? Demonic influence."

"Then it would have to be in the womb because some people are born that way. Soulless and just wrong."

Jack stepped between them "Let's not have a debate about what makes people evil. So I take it even gods don't have all the answers? And Owen, since when do you give people the benefit of the doubt? I didn't exactly have you pegged as a humanitarian. Ever since you two came out of the Divine closet, you've been nicer to people." Jack hadn't meant to say all that but there it was.

Ianto sighed "Oh he's always been that way. Why do you think he's a doctor? His heartbreak over Katie caused him to act like a cynical bastard."

"Ianto has less faith in mortals" Owen said.

"I have my reasons. And no Jack, even gods don't have all the answers. We're not perfect, nobody is. Not even that Time Lord of yours."

"He's not _my_ Time Lord."

"But you want him to be."

"Let's keep looking for that car."

They continued on in silence till they reached what looked like an inn and a group of houses.

"So" Owen said "do we look in the random building in the middle of nowhere or do we keep looking for the SUV?"

Jack took a breath "Let's see if there's any room at the inn."

They found more human remains in the first house they looked in. While Owen examined them, Jack and Ianto went to check the other dwellings. Jack took one and Ianto took another.

Just as Jack started up the stairs of his, he heard a shotgun go off. He ran outside and found Ianto had been shot but he wasn't on the ground.

The godling swore "Fuck, that stings."

Jack stared at him in disbelief for a moment before running into the house to disarm the shooter. It was some terrified kid named Kieran who thought he was under attack.

…

While Jack questioned the boy, Owen had come out of the other house with his kitbag. "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah" Ianto dug into this backpack and pulled out a bottle of water.

"You've been shot."

"Yeah but I'm immortal aren't I?" he drank from the bottle, it was water blessed by his mother and he was healed in an instant. "Jack seemed a bit shocked that I was still standing."

"Most humans would be. Who shot you?"

"Some kid. Looks like he's been hiding from whatever's doing this."

…

They decided to use the pub as a base. Kieran was terrified and adamant that whatever was doing this would come back for him.

"Here mate" Ianto gave Kieran his water bottle.

"Thanks. Didn't I hit you?"

"Nope" Ianto moved to stand next to Jack who appeared to be brooding "You okay?"

Jack sighed and without warning stuck his hand up Ianto's shirt "There's not even blood. How'd you do that? I don't get it, you say you can't be killed but you felt being shot. And remember, the cyberman knocked you out."

"We wouldn't be able to better understand mortals if we didn't feel pain. We don't die but we can be hurt. We do heal quickly, however if I hadn't thought to bring my mother's water, I'd still be feeling it."

"I guess that makes sense" He was staring at Ianto intently and leaned a fraction closer but now was not the time for that.

Ianto breathed in sharply and his voice came out in a whisper "Why is your hand still under my shirt?"

Jack stepped back "Sorry."

Ianto gave him a smile and ran a hand down his arm "It's okay. I just don't think now's the time" okay, so maybe Ianto was a little bit attracted to him.

Owen groaned "Will you two stop that sexual tension crap? At least while I'm around."

Ianto smirked and whispered to Jack "He's just jealous."

Jack grinned and laughed. Then he took a breath and got serious once more "Okay, gang we need a plan."

"What are you guys doing here anyway?" Kieran asked.

"Well" Ianto said "we would have brought our talking Great Dane but he's at the vet's. He ate a whole box of chocolate doughnuts and needs to have his stomach pumped."

Jack shook his head "_I_ almost believed that. You're good."

Ianto smirked and Owen rolled his eyes.

Jack found a chalk board and began writing on it.

"Speaking of" Ianto leaned against the bar "did anyone see that live action Scooby-Doo movie a few years ago? It would have been all right if they hadn't made Scrappy the bad guy. Scrappy may be annoying but he'd never change sides."

Owen scoffed "He questions the goodness of humanity but Scrappy-Doo he has faith in."

"And I think he's half-Chihuahua, it would explain his size."

"Then his father would have to be the Chihuahua" Jack said "because his mother is Scooby's sister. Please don't ask how I know that."

"How would that even work?" Owen asked "I don't even think it's possible to crossbreed them and why are we having this conversation?"

"Owen doesn't like cartoon dogs" Ianto said.

…

Once the sun had set, the pub and surrounding countryside became just a bit more eerie. Even though they had barricaded the doors it wasn't made any better by Kieran constantly saying 'they' were going to come back and that 'they' wouldn't stop.

Owen finally lost patience with the kid "Will you just shut up already! We're not gonna let anything happen to you. You're safe with us. Now quit your bellyachin'."

Jack arched an eyebrow at Owen "Bellyaching? How old man of you Owen."

Ianto put a hand on Owen's shoulder "Calm down Owen. Your eyes are changing."

Owen took a calming breath.

And that's when the banging started.

…

* * *

**Oh dear. Do you think the boys will resort to magic? I have a few more pages of the next chapter I need to write before it's postable so wish the muses luck.**

**Reviews will help and they may even make me feel better in case I get depressed once we find out who wins the Election on Tuesday. Those of you Americans who can, don't forget to vote. And that's all I say on it because I don't want to get into politics.**

**Although I've heard it said that it might be a repeat of the Election 12 years ago. Raise your hand if you remember that—I was 13. Mind, that was before Hurricane Sandy. My thoughts and prayers go to everyone who was affected.**

**TTFN**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, this chapter up. But I'll need your help on the next one so I have a question for you at the end.**

**We finish up the countryside adventure here and then the boys head back home. I don't know why they play Song titles, they wanted to, I suppose.**

**There might be a touch of Gwen bashing. And as always no offence is intended.**

**I hope you like.**

* * *

They were being attacked.

Owen pulled Kieran off of the seat he was in "Stay away from the windows."

One of the windows was smashed and Jack stared shooting at it. The banging on the front door stopped.

Ianto's eyes fell on the basement door "We forgot about the cellar."

"Son of a bitch" Jack swore "can't you two do anything?"

"You religious Kieran?" Owen asked.

"No. What kind of question is that?"

"A little faith goes a long way."

"If there really was a God, how could this happen?"

"It's probably a good thing we didn't bring Gwen" Ianto said to himself.

Owen looked Kieran square in the eyes "There can't be good without evil, boy."

The basement door handle began to jiggle.

Jack moved towards it "I'll take care of this."

Kieran took a step back from Owen "What are you?"

Ianto kept his eyes on the windows "Owen, what are you doing?"

"Damn the rules" Owen grabbed Kieran's arm "I'm getting him out of here" with that he and the boy vanished in a swirl.

"Owen is going to be in huge trouble." Ianto said to Jack to find that Jack was busy shooting into the basement. There was a thump and then Jack disappeared down the steps.

"I'll keep watch up here, shall I?" Ianto said. It was dark in the pub, Ianto could hardly see—he wasn't an underworld dwelling god of the dead after all. He had to focus his senses and to do that he needed to close his eyes. He felt a thump on the back of his head and he fell.

…

So it turns out it was people eating people. Jack had really hoped it was aliens or straight up demons. Humans were more complicated. For example he wondered if it was bad form to have killed the guy he had caught and questioned but it had been a reflex action. Besides these people didn't deserve warnings.

He went back upstairs "Ianto, you were right. It is cannibals. Ianto?" But Ianto was nowhere to be seen.

Owen reappeared "The kid's safe, he's going to need therapy but he's safe. Ianto in the loo?"

"I don't think so" Jack's eyes fell on the front door, the furniture that had been blocking it was out of place and the door was wide open.

Owen swore "Where were you?"

"Basement. I caught someone, he's dead now. But it is cannibals. We need to contact the proper authorities; Torchwood doesn't deal in human criminals."

"We need to find Ianto first. He's probably injured and he doesn't have his water bottle."

"But he's immortal, right? He'll be okay, won't he?"

"Yeah but being immortal doesn't keep us from feeling pain and pain makes us wonky" Owen marched out the door.

Jack followed "You really care about him don't you?"

"He's my brother, Jack, I love him." Owen sighed "we may be half-brothers but we grew up together. We're only a year apart, closest in age of all Llyr's children."

"Why do you disapprove of that party he went to?"

"It's not the party I disapprove of. I don't care if he has group orgies. It's Hermes I disapprove of. Olympians are known for their inability to understand the word 'no'. To his credit, Hermes isn't as bad as Zeus or Apollo but he's still the god of con-artists. He's thousands of years old and I don't trust him."

"Are you sure you're just not being an older brother who disapproves of his younger brother's relationships?"

Owen smirked "Bit of both, I guess. You have any brothers, Jack?"

Jack fell silent for a moment, sighed deeply and said "Did have."

"Sorry."

They walked a bit longer, following the GPS "Are we sure Ianto's in the same direction as the SUV?"

"Makes sense don't it? Besides I can feel him. Jack, you attracted to my brother?"

"Why?"

"Maybe it is a brother thing. I don't trust you either. But at least I can keep an eye on you."

"Why don't you trust me?"

"You remind me of Zeus."

…

Ianto woke up to find himself in a kitchen that looked like it belonged on the set of _Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ or a Halloween attraction in the States. He struggled to sit up but his ribs hurt like the dickens and he was handcuffed behind his back. He had the distinct impression he was beaten after he was knocked out.

"You're awake, that's good" a scary sounding and looking Welshman came in through some plastic. The man was human, mostly. Ianto hated to admit it but there was a touch of demon in him.

Ianto backed up against the wall "Who are you? I like to know the names of people who plan to eat me."

The man gave a sickly smile "You're smart. That means your brain will be tasty. I am Evan."

"Nice to meet you Evan" Ianto easily slipped out of the handcuffs but without calling upon his powers he wasn't sure if he could fight his way out. He was in too much pain to act like a mortal. If he didn't want to use his powers then Jack and Owen better find him soon "You know, the gods frown upon cannibalism. You ever here the story of Tantalus?"

"Oh, there's no need to worry about that. There are no gods."

"That's what you think." Screw this, he wasn't going to wait to be rescued, he wasn't some damsel in distress. He got to his feet and dropped the handcuffs to the stained-red floor "I'd stay out of the water if I were you. My father will pull you down so fast you won't know what happened."

"I must have hit you too hard."

"Just enough to piss me off" Ianto moved his hand ever so slightly and water came pouring out of the kitchen faucet "You grabbed the wrong person, mate."

Evan took a step back "What are you?"

The kitchen began to flood and Ianto smirked but before he could answer, he heard a door burst open, accompanied by gunshots.

"Ianto! Ianto!" Owen came skidding into the kitchen "What in Annwn are you doing?"

"Losing my temper" Ianto growled.

"Well stop!" Owen shoved him, breaking his concentration "you'll get in trouble!"

"Well I'm sorry but I wasn't about to wait to be rescued like some simpering damsel."

Neither one of them saw Evan reach for a gun but Jack came into the kitchen right then and put a bullet in his head.

The brothers stared at him. Owen took a breath "You didn't kill everyone did you?"

"No though it was very tempting. Now, can we hand this to the proper authorities?"

…

* * *

They left the village in the hands of the police and once they found the car and cleaned up the campsite they were back on the road.

"You two gonna get in trouble for using your powers like that?" Jack asked.

"Probably" Owen said.

"We'll take care of it" Ianto leaned against the window "we'll explain things to Tad. What about you, sir? You killed two of them."

"Being in special ops has its benefits."

They fell into silence till after while Ianto broke the silence.

"How 'bout Song Titles?" he suggested.

Owen shrugged "Whatever."

"Sounds like fun" Jack nodded "what's the scene?"

"We're in the middle ages and we can only speak in song titles."

Owen pointed out the window "Puff, the magic dragon."

Jack grinned "Respect!"

"Who are you?" Ianto asked.

Owen smirked, "Pinball wizard."

The game continued as follows:

Jack: I believe in miracles.

Owen: I believe I can fly.

Ianto: She moved through the fair.

Jack: Ain't no sunshine.

Ianto: It's raining men.

Jack: Hallelujah! Bring on the men!

Owen: Love changes everything.

Ianto: What's love got to do with it?

Jack: Do I have to say the words?

Owen: Stop in the name of love.

Ianto: Baby, it's cold outside.

Jack: Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Owen: Help!

Ianto: Any dream will do.

Jack: Can you feel the love tonight?

Owen: Why God why?

Ianto: Anything goes.

Jack: Don't fence me in.

Ianto: Everybody knows.

Owen: The end of innocence.

Jack: I will not go quietly.

Owen: Help me, Rhonda!

Jack: Who wants to live forever?

Owen: The last unicorn.

Ianto: Do you hear the people sing?

Jack: Time after time.

Owen: One night only.

Ianto: Oh what a night.

Owen: Dust in the wind.

Ianto: The wind and the rain.

Jack: Crazy little thing called love.

Ianto: Somebody to love.

Owen: Save me.

Jack: I want it all.

Owen: I want to break free. Guys, can we stop before this gets any weirder?

…

* * *

"Here's a question" Jack said as they pulled into the car park the kept the SUV in "why do you think Gwen is having such a hard time believing you two are gods?"

"And in magic in general" Ianto muttered "She's probably set in her ways. Maybe she's afraid to believe."

"I've actually looked into that" Owen said "There's crusader/witch hunter in her ancestry—in addition to being descended from a woman who was killed and identity stolen by an evil witch. That was during the reign of Uther but that's neither here nor there. Anyway, because belief in magic is no longer common, her natural instinct to save/destroy magic types has been converted into extreme scepticism."

"So you won't be sleeping with her then?" Ianto said.

"Absolutely not."

"Okay boys, let's unload. And that makes sense about Gwen. Maybe there's something we can do to lighten her mood."

Owen scoffed "Good luck. People like her will question and find an explanation for everything."

"There's gotta be something."

Ianto shook his head "I don't know, Jack, Owen's right; people like Gwen they believe only what they want. It wouldn't surprise me if she refused to believe there were cannibals in Wales."

…

Ianto called it.

Jack sighed "Check the police reports, Gwen, if you don't believe us. We handed it over to them."

"Why? Shouldn't we be questioning them?"

Jack sighed again, exasperatedly this time "Torchwood doesn't deal in human crimes against other humans. If you want to question them you can go back to the police. Torchwood also doesn't have room for sceptics so I suggest you start believing Owen and Ianto" his voice was harsh and condescending at once. It was the first time he'd ever spoken to Gwen like that. Everyone was shocked, Gwen especially. She was left slack jawed as Jack swished to his office.

…

* * *

**Coming up on Sons of the Sea the gang will get to meet Llyr. But I'm going to need your input.**

**Should we just get rid of Gwen or make her nicer? And why do you think Jack's treated her like she was the favourite? It makes me ill personally.**

**TTFN**


	9. Chapter 9

**I re-wrote this chapter because I wasn't happy with what I had before. The idea wasn't working for me and it was keeping up at night so I took it down and re-wrote it. I'm sorry if any of you like that weird idea but it was driving me crazy and it really didn't belong in this story. This is about Owen and Ianto and I'd to focus on them as much as I can, that horrible idea was taking focus away from them and putting on Jack. If you haven't read the previous version then lucky you because I wish I hadn't written it.**

**If you've already reviewed for chapter nine and can't review again then let me know what you think when I post the next chapter or you can PM. Again I'm sorry if this causes any confusion.**

**I hope you like this new version. Teeny ounce of Gwen bashing but I will do my best to make her more likable/canon-like. I can't promise anything though.**

**And as always, no offence intended.**

* * *

Ianto was the first to break the long silence that followed "I'll go get some coffee going" and he hurried up to the kitchen.

"Gwen," Tosh said gently "are you okay?"

"Sure" Gwen sank into her chair "I'm fine."

Owen sighed "Jack's tired, none of us have slept. But he's right, if you're going to continue to be a bitch you can find another job." Owen went up to the office and didn't bother knocking.

Jack was sitting at his desk "Something I can do for you Owen?"

"I just had a revelation" Owen began "You're some sort of sexist feminist nutjob."

Jack's eyebrows shot to his hairline "You can't be a sexist and a feminist at the same time."

"Yes you can. Jack, that was the first time I've heard you yell at a woman since Hartman."

"Please don't say that name in my presence. And I don't know what you're talking about."

"Jack, you've never yelled at the girls excepting that time with the cyberwoman and you were yelling at everyone to open the weapons' store. I'm taking into account that you were under a lot of stress."

Jack looked up at him "What is it exactly you're driving at Owen?"

"You favour the girls. You're never as harsh with them, you treat them better. You're always going on about equality and the like and yet you do not treat men and women as equals."

Jack stood up "That is not true."

"Yes it is. You go on about old boyfriends, but never old girlfriends which tells me you respect their privacy more. You say women can take care of themselves but when you talk to Tosh and Gwen about something they should have done, you act like they're made of glass."

"That is…aren't goddesses given more respect?"

Ianto had come into the office behind Owen and he handed a coffee cup to Jack "Depends on who you talk to but in general yes. Goddesses and women are more revered in several cultures. I tried knocking but I guess you didn't hear me. What is it we're talking about?"

Owen sighed "How Jack treats women better when he goes on about how equal things are we're he comes from. Jack, the point is you should practise what you preach."

Ianto hesitated a moment but then he left the room without another word.

Jack sat back down with his coffee "Are you done, Owen?"

"Just one more question actually. Did Torchwood London know about you? Because when you joined Cardiff was still reporting to London, right?"

Jack blinked, like he hadn't expected the question and then he shrugged "I don't know. It doesn't seem like it. There might have been rumours but I think I was pretty much Torchwood Cardiff's little secret, at least when it comes to my immorality. One thing I liked about Emily was that she didn't like to take orders from anyone. Why?"

"I was wondering how you were paid before you got command."

"Cash, I was always un-contracted. New commanders just inherited me."

"No see, that doesn't make sense. Why didn't you just take over sooner?"

"One I didn't want to and two, I couldn't. That would have meant letting the Crown know about me and that would have gotten complicated. I didn't want this job Owen. I took it originally because I had nothing better to do and when Alex killed himself and the others, I had no choice. I had to report that but since nobody knew about me anymore I didn't have to tell the Crown what I really was."

"And since nobody cares about Wales they let you keep the job."

"Exactly. Now, are we done?"

Owen nodded "Just think about what I said."

…

* * *

Jack sent the girls home and told them they could have the next day off.

"Hey," he said to Owen's eye roll "they were here all yesterday by themselves. They deserve a break."

"It's not like we went into the wilderness for kicks, Jack."

"Need I remind you that the three of us are immortal and you and Ianto don't even die at all."

Ianto cleared his throat "I'm hungry, anyone else hungry? I'm going to go get something to eat. Any requests?"

"You know what I like" Owen turned his attention to his computer.

"I'll go with you," Jack said "I need the air."

…

"Everything okay?" Ianto asked as they walked along Roald Dahl Plass.

Jack shrugged.

Ianto sighed "Stop a minute" he moved behind Jack "You're awfully tense" and he began to massage Jack's shoulders.

Jack moaned "Oh that's nice."

"It'd be nicer if you weren't wearing this danged wool coat. How about I give you a full massage after dinner?" the words were out of Ianto's mouth before he could stop them.

Jack turned and smiled at him "If you're offering, I'm not refusing."

And Ianto found that he didn't want to retract what he'd said, he quite enjoyed the thought of running his hands over Jack's naked flesh. "I'm offering. Fish and chips sound good?"

"Fish and chips always sound good" they continued their walk and then Jack sighed and said "I called Alice when I was in my office, to see how she's doing."

"How is she?"

"She didn't have time to talk. You should call Abby."

Ianto blinked "What? Why?"

"She's your daughter. Don't you love her?"

"Of course I do. She doesn't love me."

"How do you know? She's still young Ianto."

"She's a demi-goddess, I have plenty of time."

"You have to get them while they're young, Ianto. Trust me, I've been there."

"Is Alice the only child you have?"

Jack sighed deeply "Currently, that I'm aware of. Is Abby your only child?"

Ianto nodded "As far as I know. I think so as I tend to avoid relationships with women whenever possible."

Jack arched an eyebrow "Oh? Why?"

"Too much responsibility. Lisa was the first girlfriend I had since Abby's mother and I'm starting to wonder if maybe someone made me fall for her."

"Made you?"

"Yeah, one of those pesky love gods, probably on Owen's request. He kept telling me I needed a girlfriend."

"You know you're sounding paranoid, don't you?"

"You'd understand if you had an over-protective older brother."

….

The massage Ianto was supposed to give Jack was pre-empted by a weevil sighting and then Jack just sent Ianto and Owen home. He did whisper to Ianto "Some other time" in such a way it sent pleasant shivers down Ianto's spine.

…

The brothers stood on the docks that evening, staring out at the bay.

Ianto took a deep breath "Maybe you're right. Maybe I don't try hard enough with Abby."

Owen arched an eyebrow "_Maybe_ I'm right?"

"Okay you are right. I just don't know how to talk to her."

"You were a teenager once."

"That was a long time ago. Teenagers are different these days. They are less mature and Abby's a demi-goddess."

"Why don't you first see how her mother is doing?"

"Elaine? I don't know."

"You did love her. You got her pregnant. You owe her."

…

It was easy for Ianto to get to Chicago, all he had to do was snap his fingers and think Chicago. It was cheating but conditions were made for gods with half-mortal children.

Abby's mother worked as a phlebotomist at the Red Cross in the Second City. Ianto waited for her outside."

"Hello Elaine" he greeted when he saw her.

"Ianto? What are you doing here?" she dug in her handbag for either her keys or pepper spray.

"I want to know how you and Abby are doing."

"Can't you just look in your crystal ball?"

"Asking is better. Can I buy you a drink or something? Or do you have to pick up Abby?"

"She's staying at a friend's tonight. Sleepover. All right, you can buy me dinner."

…

Ianto took her to an Italian restaurant.

"I'm not sure what it is I did wrong, Elaine. You asked me to leave. And you turned down my offer of immortality."

Elaine sighed wearily "I don't want to be immortal, not at the cost of leaving my family. You know that. I asked you to leave because you were always so distant. It wasn't working."

"I'm sorry. I'm different now."

"I'm not taking you back."

"I'm not asking you to."

Elaine took a sip of her wine "You have someone special?"

Ianto sighed "Did have. She was killed in London few months back."

"I'm sorry."

"There is someone I'm interested in. I didn't think I was at first 'cos he was a bit of a jerk. But he's not so much now."

"He, huh? Is he handsome?"

"Very. How is Abby?"

"She's fifteen. She liked the birthday present you sent her."

"She did? I'm glad."

"Yes. She'd like to visit Wales sometime."

"It is about time she met her grandfather. I'd, uh, I'd like to talk to her if I can."

"She has a cell phone."

…

"Hello" Abby answered.

"Hello, sweetheart. It's Dad."

"Oh, hi. Thank you for the gift card."

"You're welcome. Have you used it yet?"

"Yeah my friends and I went to the mall after school today. Dad, can I call you back, like tomorrow? I'm with my friends right now."

"Sure of course. Not a problem. I really would like to talk."

"Sure, yeah later" she hung up.

"Bye" Ianto said into the dial tone.

Owen was right, he hadn't been trying much. But he was also wrong. Abby liked Ianto, he spoiled her. That gift card had been for $1,000. Fifteen was an important number, all years divisible by three were.

Owen thinks that to have a proper relationship with your child, you can't just buy them stuff. You have to be there for them, talk with them, let them know you won't judge. You can't buy a child's love, by spoiling them you give them unrealistic expectations.

Fortunately, from Ianto knew his daughter was a good girl, she did not act like some spoiled little rich bitch.

…

* * *

"How'd it go?" Owen asked Ianto the next morning in the Hub.

"Better than I thought" Ianto handed him a coffee "Abby was at a sleepover, she said she'd call me back sometime today."

"Hmm, where's Jack?"

"Said he had something he needed to do. I suspect he's gone to see his daughter."

"I'm going to ask Tosh out" Owen announced.

"Sudden change of topic but okay, have it."

Owen pulled out his mobile to call Tosh but the rift alert chose that moment to go off. Owen sighed "What is it?"

Ianto was at the computer "It doesn't look too large. I don't think we need to call the others and I really don't want to bother Jack. But it's your call Owen, you're second in command."

"Well, I'm glad someone remembers that. I think Gwen thinks she is" Owen looked over his shoulder "Okay, let's go."

…

The brothers stared at the creature roaming around Penarth.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Ianto gulped.

"That's a bloody giant spider is what that is. You know, your arachnophobia is irrational, you're immortal."

"Of course, it's irrational, that's why it's a phobia. What's that thing doing here? This isn't Middle Earth."

"Well," Owen made his sword appear "let's welcome Shelob to the neighbourhood."

"A sword?"

"I like the classics. 'Sides long as no one sees us, we can get away with using our powers."

"Then why the sword?"

"Ianto! Don't question me. Come on" Owen moved towards the spider. But Ianto remained frozen to the spot. He really didn't like spiders—nasty, evil buggers.

He felt someone come up next to him "Why is Owen fighting a giant spider with a sword?"

Ianto jumped "Jack, oh, what…?"

"Got back to the Hub, found you gone, checked the monitor and here we are. Why aren't you helping him?"

"I can't seem to move. I don't like spiders."

"We should probably help him. Ouch" Jack cringed as the spider swiped at Owen with one of its legs and sent him flying backwards.

Ianto sighed "Yes, all right."

…

* * *

They ended up killing the thing. Ianto lost his temper and drowned it. Then they burned it. It was too large to transport back to the Hub.

The three men sat around the conference table with lunch.

"If it wasn't for the Rift alert" said Ianto "I'd suspect Eshu. Owen owes him money."

"Oh yeah?" Jack asked.

"Owen has a gambling problem."

Owen glared at him "Shut up, Ianto. You're addicted to being fucked in the ass."

Ianto remained calm "What does that have to do with gambling?"

Jack held up his hands "Fellas please. I already have a headache. I don't need it made worse by you two having a go at each other."

….

Ianto found Jack on top of the Altolusso later "I thought I might find you up here. You okay?"

"Yeah, just needed some air. Do sea gods even like heights?"

"Not really" Ianto moved next to him "I was worried about you. I'm sorry if Owen and I upset you."

"Don't worry about it." He looked at Ianto "You talk to Abby?"

"Briefly. She said she'd call me back. She was at a sleepover with friends. Go figure teenagers."

"Yeah, I didn't see Alice much when she was a teenager but whenever I had time she was always too busy and I think she resents me for it."

"Like I said, go figure teenagers. It's like they expect the parents to try harder but when they do the teens never have the time or desire to spend time with their parents. I blame progress."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Teenagers had more respect for their elders a century ago."

"I know. There's more respect where I come from too. Maybe it's the media, you know, what's on television and the like."

Ianto sighed "Yeah, TV is evil. It's a pointless invention, nothing wrong with books, the newspaper and radio."

Jack nodded "Exactly."

"I think you were born in the wrong century, Jack. You've an old soul."

"The forties speak to me."

"I like the 20s myself. Prohibition in America was fun, the thrill of drinking illegally. There was this one ice cream parlour in Seattle that had a secret staircase under the bar that lead to a speakeasy."

"Had some of the most fun in speakeasies."

"So will you be okay?" Ianto reached out and took Jack's hand.

"Always am" he sighed "what about you?"

Ianto shrugged and then before he could change his mind he began to lean in closer to Jack when his mobile rang. "Drat" he muttered and then checked the ID "excuse me, I have to take this. He flipped open the phone "Hello sweetie"

"Hi dad" Abby said "What you want to talk about?"

"I want to see how you're doing and was wondering if you'd like to visit me sometime?"

"I'm fine. I got an A on my math test."

"That's wonderful sweetie. Did you have fun at your sleepover?"

"Yeah we stayed up all night watching movies. So, what's Wales like?"

…

* * *

All this talking to Ianto about his daughter got Owen thinking about one of his own, his youngest child, Trina. She was fifteen like Abby but unlike Abby she was half-sea nymph and lived under the water with her mother. They were part of Lord Poseidon's territory. That meant that in order to visit his own daughter, he had to exchange pleasantries with the Greek god first.

Owen bowed before Poseidon in his abalone and pearl incrusted throne room "Lord Poseidon."

"Ah, young Owen, son of Llyr, what brings you to the Aegean this day?"

"I'm here to visit my daughter, Trina, my lord."

"I believe she's in the kelp playing with her friends. Please join me for lunch and tell me how the Celtic sea is fairing."

Damn rules of royalty. Owen nodded "My pleasure, my lord."

…

Owen finally escaped Poseidon an hour later and no sooner had run into the last person he wanted to see.

"What do you want Hermes?"

Hermes grinned "Other than your little brother?"

Owen balled his fist "I'm really not in the mood."

The Olympian sighed and became serious "This is a courtesy warning, Owen. I'm not the only one who fancies Ianto. Zeus has set his eyes on him as well."

"What? I thought Zeus had Ganymede."

"Zeus has Ganymede _and_ Hera, do you really think that satisfies him? You know how insatiable he is."

"Well why can't you warn him, Hermes?"

"He seems to think that being with me offers him protection from some of the more lecherous Olympians. If it were anyone but Zeus that would be the case. But I'm afraid he trumps all. Once he decides he wants something he doesn't stop till he gets it, even if what he wants is the child of another god and he doesn't know the meaning of the word 'no'."

Owen sighed heavily "Thanks for the warning."

…

* * *

**I hope you liked this new chapter 9. Review if you can, let me know somehow what you think. I'll get started on chapter 10 as soon as I post this.**

**TTFN**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey gang, I'm sorry again if the changes to the last chapter caused any confusion. If you haven't re-read it, please do, it's important. And please let me know what you think.**

**This chapter isn't very long but I feel it ends at a spot where an episode would end or go to commercial. Ianto is warned about Zeus, Jack meets Hermes, there's a Janto moment, and the brothers receive a message.**

**No offence intended and I don't think there's any Gwen bashing in this one per se but my definition could be different than yours.**

* * *

Ianto was laughing so hard he was on the floor. "Zeus, has eyes on _me_? Are you sure Hermes was telling you the truth?"

Owen's arms were crossed "Why would he lie about it?"

Ianto caught his breath "Because it's what he does Owen. You're the one who keeps telling me that."

"He seemed pretty sincere. I also say that he's not as bad as Zeus and Apollo. If he was lying about it, why not just tell you so you'd stay closer to him?"

Ianto got to his feet "Because he knew I wouldn't believe him."

"Ianto, if it's unfounded or not, someone saying Zeus has eyes on you isn't something to be taken lightly." Owen sighed "I can't believe I'm saying this but maybe Hermes does care for you in some way…"

"Owen, just the other day you told me he was possessive and lecherous. Why the sudden change?"

"Because Zeus is worse. Ianto, just please be careful and stay on your toes."

"I'll be fine Owen, I can take care of myself. If you're so concerned, bring it to Tad. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere I'd like to be right now."

…

* * *

Ianto set up a massage table in an ante-chamber off the archives. Jack walked in stark naked.

"I couldn't find a towel" He was grinning "is this okay?"

Ianto marvelled for a moment at the handsome man before him and said (probably with a slight squeak to his voice) "That's fine" he patted the table "lie on your stomach please. I must warn you though, without the towel I laid out exactly where you should have seen it, I cannot promise full control of my hands and where they might end up."

Jack smiled innocently "There was a towel?" and he hopped on the table and laid down.

Ianto poured some oil in his hands and began to rub it on Jack's back, kneading his muscles at the same time.

Jack moaned "God, that feels good."

Ianto chuckled "Just Ianto will do, thanks. Or 'my lord' if you want to be proper. Jack when was the last time you had a decent massage, your muscles are all in knots."

"Don't have time usually. Oh, right there, that's nice. Oh yeah."

Ianto worked at a particularly stubborn part of Jack's lower back "Have you ever thought of just taking a break and getting away from it all?"

Jack moaned again "All the time but I have a job to do."

"No you don't. Nobody's forcing you to do this" Ianto moved so that he was leaning over Jack's head as worked his back.

"Who else is gonna do this?"

"What's wrong with UNIT? Jack, all I'm saying is there's no need to stay in one place for so long. Don't you ever get tired of Cardiff?"

"No, it's always changing, keeps me guessing" suddenly Jack put his hands on Ianto's arse "you standing right here, I can't guarantee my actions."

Ianto shivered and stepped back "Sit up please."

Jack sat and Ianto leaned in and kissed him. Jack's hand slipped up his shirt but Ianto pulled back when he heard a noise. "If that's Owen, I'm gonna kill him. I'll be back in a moment."

"I'll be here" Jack swung his legs.

Ianto left the room to see Jack coming towards him wrapped in the towel he'd laid out. What the fuck? "Jack?"

"Hey Ianto, you got my message?"

Ianto blinked "What message?"

"That'd I'd be a little late. You didn't get it?"

Ianto got close to him, smelled him. If this was Jack then who was…? He ran back into the room, the other Jack was gone. "Son of a bitch" he swore, he'd just been played.

"Ianto, what's wrong?" Jack put a hand on his shoulder.

Ianto took a breath "I thought you were just here but apparently it wasn't you, it was someone pretending to be you and I didn't see it. I am such an idiot. Hermes!"

Hermes appeared instantly, oddly this time he was slightly more covered up "Yes Ianto? And you must be Jack, pleasure."

"Were you just here?" Ianto demanded "pretending to be Jack?"

Hermes quickly understood what Ianto was talking about "Ianto, I don't need to pretend to be anyone to get into your pants, you ought to know that."

Ianto started to shake as he realised the alternative "You're right, I'm sorry. So that was Zeus?"

"Probably. I'm sorry Ianto but I can't protect you from him. Zeus wants what he wants and he doesn't stop till he gets it. Jack," he said "why weren't you here sooner?"

Jack stared at Hermes's abs for a moment and then blinked "Traffic, so tight I couldn't move the SUV through it and for some reason my manipulator wouldn't work on the lights like normal."

"Zeus was messing around then."

"But this isn't his territory" Ianto said "he can't do that. It's against the code."

"Good luck trying to prove it." He took a breath and said to Jack "Enjoy, Ianto gives very good massages."

"Do you want to hang around? You're more than welcome to."

"I appreciate it but the very sight of you makes me ill. It's nothing personal, not your fault. You are very handsome but…" with that he vanished.

Ianto sighed "He's a guide of souls Jack, remember what I told you about them."

Jack sat on the table "So Zeus was trying to have his way with you?"

"Apparently."

"We can do this another time if you're not up to it."

"No, no, I'm not going to let a scare like that sour my desire to rub you down" he interlaced his fingers and cracked them. He massaged him as before only this time he didn't speak except to ask Jack how he felt about the massage and he didn't go near Jack's head.

Damn Zeus, Ianto didn't even feel like kissing Jack right now. And now he was going to be on his guard till this thing got resolved.

…

Later Jack took him to Salt for a drink since Jack was banned from Terra Nova for five years.

"You okay?" Jack asked, sitting next to him in the booth.

Ianto took a drink of his pint "I kissed him because I thought he was you."

"Well that's okay. I'd have done the same thing. Isn't Zeus known for disguising himself as other people?"

"Yes. Owen warned me but I didn't listen. How could Zeus be attracted to me?"

"How could he not? He'd be a fool not to be." Jack rested his hand over Ianto's.

"That's sweet Jack, thank you." Before he could stop himself Ianto leaned on Jack.

Jack responded by putting his arm around him.

…

* * *

Owen paced in front of Ianto "I knew this would happen."

Ianto groaned "Owen, please I feel bad enough already. At least he didn't get very far before Jack came in. I'm thinking one of our brethren sensed a Greek was messing with traffic and cleared it."

"Most likely but that's beside the point Ianto. Knowing how Zeus is you can't trust anyone."

"Not even you."

"Ianto, Zeus isn't that stupid. He's not gonna disguise himself as your brother."

"Are you sure? Because now I'm worried."

"I promise it's me, Ianto."

"Me who?"

"Ianto, come on don't be a spaz."

"Even so, I'm not letting you touch me."

Owen rolled his eyes "Let's get to the Hub, pot of coffee will do you good."

…

Around mid-morning the team was gathered around the conference table for the weekly de-briefing. Jack sat at the head of the table "So we had a giant spider come through the rift when you girls were off. We had to burn it."

"Fucking thing was huge" Owen said "I snapped a picture" He put it up on the plasma.

"Oh my God" Gwen said "is that real?"

Owen rolled his eyes "No Gwen, we made it up just to drive you insane."

"Was that sarcasm?"

Before Owen could retort, a man appeared standing on the table. He had flaming red hair and was dressed like he was going horseback riding in the Irish countryside.

Owen and Ianto stood immediately. "Lord Oghma" Ianto said "to what do we owe the pleasure?"

Gwen was blinking rapidly in succession "where did he come from?"

"In a moment" Oghma said, Irish accent thick and interestingly, he had a tongue ring "you gonna introduce me to yer friends?"

Owen took a breath "Everyone this is Oghma, mainly communication god and guide of souls for the Tuatha de Danann out of Ireland. Oghma, this is Jack, Toshiko and Gwen."

"And it's a pleasure" Oghma hopped off the table.

"What's an Irish god doing in Wales?" Jack asked.

Oghma took a step back from Jack "Well, the Welsh aren't organised enough to have an official messenger-type now are they?"

"Bloody Irishman" the brothers muttered.

"Anyhow" a scroll materialised in Oghma's hands "Lords Owen and Ianto, sons of Llyr you've been summoned before the Council of Elder Gods for misuse of powers in view of mortals."

"What is it you're doing?" Owen said once he found his voice.

"I had permission. You two did not. Report to yer father he'll have the details. Oh and he says ye can bring yer friends" with that he disappeared.

* * *

**That darn Zeus. He ruined Ianto's immediate desire to kiss Jack. And now the brothers are in trouble. Oh dear. Well, it looks like the team will be meeting Llyr pretty soon so that should be fun.**

**Please review, they make me write faster. And again, those of you who reviewed the original chapter 9 please let me know what you think of the changes. Thank you much.**

**TTFN**


	11. Chapter 11

**Not a very long chapter but I realised it had been a week since the last update. I'm sorry, it would have been up sooner but I got distracted by a burst of original fiction writing and that's always a good thing.**

**So in this chapter the brothers take the team underwater.  
**

**As usual, no offence is intended.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

The team stood on the beach staring at the waves in wonder—well, Jack, Tosh and Gwen were. Ianto and Owen were waiting for the tide to turn. When it came in a boat would arrive with it and that boat would ferry them to their father's palace under the sea.

"Are our feet going to get wet?" Jack asked, taking a quick step back from the water.

"Don't be such a girl, Harkness" Owen said "no offence ladies."

Ianto rolled his eyes and checked his watch "Our ride will be here in five, four, three, two, and one."

With the tide came an ancient row boat carved from an oak log, it was etched in Celtic knot work. It didn't have oars but they weren't needed.

"Get in everyone" Owen said as he helped Tosh in the boat.

Surprising everyone, Jack did not assist Gwen and hopped in himself. Ianto sighed and decided to be a gentleman and helped Gwen inside. Once Ianto was in the boat began to move into the waves.

"What's happening?" Gwen asked, looking around wildly.

A tunnel had appeared in the waves and the boat was moving through that.

Ianto smirked "Ever been to a water park?"

"No."

"Then don't worry about it. Just hold on."

Jack was sitting next to Ianto and he grasped Ianto's hand "Are we going to go fast?"

Ianto thought about it "It depends on your definition of fast."

Jack grinned "That's what I'm talking about."

The boat began to pick up speed and it was like they were in a water slide tunnel.

* * *

…

The water tunnel reminded Jack of a vortex and the boat moved so fast, they came to a stop almost as soon as they started. Ianto gave Jack a hand as they disembarked the boat and Jack kept hold of it. They had arrived at some sort of indoor dock. They were surrounded by walls and Jack spotted a porthole window and saw water outside of it.

"Are we under water?" he asked.

"Yes" Ianto said "the palace is like an air bubble or pocket. Do you how there are some caves that you have to swim underwater to get to?"

Jack nodded, he'd been to such a cave before.

"It works like that. You swim through a tunnel and then come up into a breathable space. That's the scientific explanation. It's easier if you just accept it's magic."

"I understand" Tosh said "my great-great grandmother's brother lives in a lake, his lair is like that." Tosh had told Gwen and Jack of her dragon heritage; Jack just nodded and said 'nifty' and Gwen, fortunately had refrained from commenting.

Suddenly Jack said "I always forget, which Eastern dragons have four fingers and which has five?" he couldn't believe he just asked that.

Tosh smiled, always happy to answer a question "Japanese have four, Chinese or Imperial as they like to call themselves have five."

Owen chuckled and put an arm around her "Why Sato, Toshiko you almost sound jealous of your Chinese cousins."

"I am not."

"Come along" Ianto opened a door "we'll take you to our rooms first, we all must dress traditionally in our father's presence."

They walked along a hallway that was embedded with seashells but Jack could not tell what the walls themselves were made of. He decided it would be better for his sanity if he didn't ask. So he said "So I can't wear my coat? You said 'we all' and what exactly does traditionally mean?"

Owen was the one who answered "Tosh is required to wear a kimono befitting of her dragon blood."

"I have it with me" Tosh patted her shoulder bag.

"The rest of us," Owen continued "will wear traditional Celtic. And no guns in our father's presence either. We gave explicit instructions to leave your weapons at the Hub, why was Tosh the only one who listened?"

Jack's hand went to his webley "Sorry, force of habit."

Gwen to her credit looked sheepish "Well I saw Jack was bringing his."

Ianto sighed "Gwen, Jack's the leader, you're supposed to do as he says not as he does. It's Simon Says, not Shadow."

"Okay, I'm sorry."

Jack grinned but didn't say anything, he did give Ianto's hand a squeeze though.

…

They showed the girls one room where they could change and took Jack to another. They left him on his own to figure out how to dress in the wrap around kilt like thing and the torc. How exactly did he put that around his neck?

He decided to start with just taking off his street clothes. He stood there naked staring at the clothes Ianto had laid out for him when there was a knock on the door.

"Jack, it's Ianto."

"Come in" Jack called.

Ianto entered the room, he was wearing sandals and a sea blue tunic and kilt with silver trim. He wore a silver torc around his neck and one on his right arm as well. At his side hung a broadsword. He was also staring at Jack with just as much admiration. "I should have known it wasn't you the other day. The real you is much more endowed."

Jack grinned "I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. You, uh, know how to use that thing?" he pointed to the sword.

"Of course. Would you like some help?" Ianto stepped over to the bed where the Celtic outfit was "I'm afraid you can't wear your birthday suit in front of my father."

"Too bad. Yeah, I could use some help. How does the kilt stay on?"

Ianto sighed and held up a long pointy object "A kilt pin, traditional kilts are not slip on." He helped Jack dress and put the wolf torc around his neck.

"What does the wolf symbolise?" Jack asked.

"Leadership and loyalty. Let's go."

"One moment" Jack put his hands on Ianto's neck and kissed him.

Ianto responded by wrapping his arms around him and pulling him closer. Ianto opened his mouth to moan and Jack took the opportunity to snake in his tongue. He moved his kisses to Ianto's neck and began to nip lightly. The young god's moans were music to Jack's ears and they tumbled onto the bed. Ianto rolled on top and brought their lips together again. He was directly over Jack and it was clear he was enjoying this just as much as Jack was.

Some cleared his throat.

They pulled apart to see Owen and the girls standing there, Owen tapping his foot impatiently "Shall we get on?" he said.

Ianto was as calm as ever as he stood up and straightened out his tunic, "Yes, let's." His face was a little red though.

Jack just grinned, Tosh was blushing sweetly and Gwen, well, was it just Jack or did she look a might jealous? Oh well, her loss.

Owen rolled his eyes "I suggest you two cool it before we see Father."

Ianto smoothed out his kilt "I'm perfectly fine."

Jack stared at him, his mini captain was still eager to play "You are?"

Ianto gave him a smile "Gods are better at controlling it but this is not the conversation to have in the presence of ladies" he looked at them "and I'm sorry if that sounds old fashioned and sexist but it's what I believe."

An bag of frozen peas appeared in Owen's hand and he tossed it directly at Jack's crotch. Fortunately he was still seated on the bed or else he would have hit the floor. As it happened, he made a squeaky sound. "What was that for?"

"Owen!" Ianto admonished.

Owen just smirked "More relaxed now, Jack?"

Jack bit his lip and nodded "I'm fine."

Ianto pulled him to his feet "Walk it off, takes ten minutes to get to the throne room anyway."

* * *

…

Owen noted that Ianto kept hold of Jack's hand on the walk to the throne room. He knew Ianto was attracted to him, he just hoped that Jack treated him right. It may not seem like it sometimes but Ianto was a very sensitive young god, it was why he avoided serious relationships like the plague. He claimed he was cursed, the very few he had didn't end well. They'd all been mortal, so they'd all ended in tragedy or the person he'd been with decided they didn't want to be with a god.

This was why most of Owen's relationships had been with other immortal-types—Katie had been one of the few exceptions.

Before he could sink into depression about that he also noted that Ianto was nervous. So was Owen, they'd never been called before the Council before and they didn't even know when that would be. They had to get the details from their father; Owen hoped he would go easy on them. Maybe allowing them to bring their friends was a good sign. Fingers crossed.

Owen also noted with some satisfaction that Tosh kept step with him the whole time.

Finally they came to the large double doors that would open into their father's throne room. Owen took a breath "Everyone ready?"

Ianto released Jack's hand and needlessly straightened out his tunic again "As I'll ever be."

Owen nodded "Ianto and I will go in first and then we'll call you in after us." He signalled to the Selkie doormen and they opened the doors.

* * *

**I'm pretty sure traditional kilts are wrap around and the tools they use to keep them on are kilt pins. They probably have belts too, gotta hang those sporrans on something. I just don't know if sporrans are strictly a Scottish thing or not, that's why none of the boys are wearing one. Anyway, I'll see about doing some research and get back to you.**

**Next time the team finally meets Llyr and we find out when the brothers have to appear before the Council. Do you think they'll need an attorney?  
**

**Reviews feed the muses. Thank you kindly.  
**

**TTFN  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**I am so sorry it's taken so long to update this story. But I'll be honest with you I've been stuck and as a result this chapter is VERY short and I've been sitting on these three pages for months trying to figure what to add but coming up dry. So I figure I'd better post it anyway and see what happens.**

**If you have any suggestions as to what I should do next, maybe a plot device, please let me know.**

**Disclaimer: No offence intended.**

**Again, I am so sorry for the delay and the shortness of this chapter.**

* * *

Gwen rolled her eyes and scoffed once the boys were through the doors "This is ridiculous" she muttered.

Jack groaned "Again, why is this so hard for you?"

"The gods of mythology aren't real. They must be aliens or something."

Tosh got to Gwen first and slapped her "How dare you say that? Haven't you had enough proof?"

Gwen's eyes were wide with shock and she held her cheek "But they can't be gods. Gods don't exist. There is no such thing as magic. And if there is, it's evil and wrong."

Tosh made to slap her again but Jack stopped her. He grabbed Gwen's arm "Enough of that and don't you dare say that in front of Llyr. Why do you keep questioning this?"

Gwen took a breath "That's what police work is about."

"You're not in the police anymore or did you forget?"

"Science then."

"This isn't science. And they're not aliens. They are part of this world."

"But…"

"I trust Owen and Ianto, you should too. If you can't then you can go back to the police work you seem so fond of. You're going to behave yourself tonight."

"You can't tell me what to do."

Jack tightened his grip "Yes I can, woman. I'm your boss. Stop forgetting who's in charge."

Just then Owen motioned to them through the still open doors.

…

* * *

Llyr's throne room wasn't what one might expect from a sea god. For example it did not resemble something that should be in a cheap Florida motel room, like Poseidon's did—NEVER tell him that. Llyr's throne room more resembled something like a 19th century den where the men would retreat to sip brandy and smoke cigars. Mind the theme changed every ten years—most sea gods were a bit fickle, like the ocean.

Owen and Ianto bowed to their father.

Llyr nodded "Ah, boys, right on time. Do not worry about the Council, I have taken care of it."

The brothers' mouths dropped open "You have?"

"Indeed. The Council understands you were under strain and that you were protecting others. And as you are still adolescents you have been forgiven."

"We have?"

"Even so."

"Thank you Tad."

"Besides I think that letch Zeus had something to do with the initial inquiry. Ianto, I wish you had come to me right away."

Ianto looked down "I'm sorry sir, I thought I could handle the situation myself."

Llyr waved a hand "Well you do not need to worry about him anymore, I've sorted him."

"Thank you, sir."

"No thanks necessary, it's my job as your father. Now, you two have brought your friends, I understand."

"Yes sir."

"Bring them in."

Owen signalled to them through the still open doors and Ianto introduced them "Tad, may I present to you, Captain Jack Harkness, Ms Toshiko Sato and Ms Gwen Cooper. Ladies and captain, this is Lord Llyr, Welsh god of the sea."

Tosh bowed and Owen nudged Jack and Gwen to make them bow as well—mostly Gwen though. Gwen was rubbing her arm.

Llyr stood up and walked over to them "It is a pleasure to meet such good friends of my sons. You especially," he said to Tosh "I am acquainted with your ancestress."

Tosh bowed to him again "It is an honour to meet you, my lord."

Llyr looked at Owen and Ianto "I told you boys she would be the most accepting."

"Jack's in second place" Owen told him "He's with the program now."

"Good, good now let us move on to the dining hall."

As the group made their way there Owen leaned close to Gwen "Don't think we all didn't feel what you said in the hall way. You say that again and I'll give you to Zeus."

Ianto heard "Please Owen, Zeus has better taste, he'd be insulted."

Llyr sighed "Boys, please be nice to our guests."

They arrived in the dining hall and Llyr gestured to the table "Please, ladies and captain have a seat and we'll join you in a moment. I must have a word with my _youngest_ sons."

Llyr drug them both by the ear out into the hall and let go of them so roughly they fell to the floor.

Ianto rubbed his ear "Was that necessary to do in front of them?"

"I raised you two to be respectful of our guests."

"But Tad," said Owen "Gwen's done nothing but scoff and put us down ever since we told them what we are. And she's got witch-hunter in her blood."

Llyr put his hands on his hips "That is no reason to be rude to her. I want you boys to study the lessons of two great mortals: Mahatma Ghandi and Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Fighting fire with fire only makes more fire."

Owen and Ianto looked well chastised and both said "Yes sir." Though they weren't quite sure if Ghandi or King said those exact words, the message was pretty much the same.

"When we go back in there, you will apologise to Miss Cooper."

"Do we have to?"

Llyr looked at them with hurricane in his eyes.

They cringed and got to their feet "All right, we'll apologise."

…

* * *

**So I hope you liked what little there was, please review if you're still interested in this story. It may give me the inspiration I need. So like I said, if you have any ideas, maybe a dinner conversation topic, please let me know.**

**TTFN**


	13. Chapter 13

**First I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I was pleasantly surprised. Please do it again. ;) I am also amazed at just how many of you strongly dislike Gwen and take pleasure in seeing her suffer. She doesn't quite so much in this chapter but I'm thinking of something really good if you want. I've thought about making her a better person but I just can't seem to do it in this story so I apologise to those of you who like her.**

**No offense is intended by anything the characters say or do.**

* * *

_Zeus caught up with Llyr after the Council meeting "you owe me."_

"_I do what now?" Llyr regarded him with an arched eyebrow._

"_I'm the reason your boys aren't being punished."_

_Llyr didn't believe that at all but still he asked "And what is it you think I owe you?"_

"_I want you to give me Ianto."_

"_Absolutely not."_

"_You owe me, Llyr. I can easily make life very difficult for your boys."_

_Llyr sighed "Zeus, I know you're not a terribly bad person so what is your interest in Ianto?"_

"_I want him and I haven't had him."_

"_That's too bad. You're not getting him. However, I've no objection to you taking one of his friends; either the immortal mortal or the Welsh girl. In fact, the Welsh girl is something of an unbeliever, I know how fond you are of making people see the light" Llyr made an image of Gwen Cooper appear._

_Zeus regarded her "Hmm, cute. Seems a bit of a fighter though, you know how I feel about women who fight back."_

"_You're married to one."_

"_Exactly. Oh and she has green eyes too, Hera has green eyes. I don't know, Llyr…"_

"_Your choice" Llyr vanished the image "but you know very well you cannot have my son unless he submits himself willingly to you."_

_Zeus sighed "I'll give it some thought."_

…

* * *

They didn't like it but the brothers apologised to Gwen for being rude. Surprisingly she apologised for her behaviour as well. Jack must have given her a talking-to.

Llyr clapped his hands "Now that that's taken care of, let us sit down to dinner. I hope you all like seafood."

"Sure is a nice place you've got here, Llyr" Jack said as they all settled into their seats.

"Thank you, Captain. Tell me, are you much of a seaman?"

Owen covered his mouth and choked back a snort. Ianto jabbed him in the ribs.

Jack chuckled "Truthfully no, boats don't seem to like me much. I prefer the open sky myself."

"Ah yes" Llyr said "that is apparent by your coat. Have you ever had crabs from Maine?"

"Never had the opportunity."

Owen's shoulders were shaking, he was biting his lip and his face was red. Ianto just sighed and rolled his eyes, but at least Jack didn't make a joke about that. Or maybe "never had the opportunity" was the joke. It was so hard to tell with him sometimes.

The food appeared before them before any further comments could be made, thankfully.

"Wait, hold on" Owen said "why is there steak and potatoes on Gwen's plate?"

"Because she is allergic to shellfish" Llyr said, "I hope you don't mind everyone, I did check to see if you had any allergies."

"That was very thoughtful of you, Llyr" Jack told him "thank you. Don't you think it was thoughtful of him, Gwen?"

Gwen blinked "Oh yes, uh, thank you."

…

* * *

They had a nice dinner with some pleasant conversation about this and that. As they waited the ten minutes for the dessert course Llyr had some questions about their work.

"I understand the Rift has been becoming more active lately" he said.

Jack nodded "That's right. Do you know why?"

"The Council has been discussing it in depth. You handle more Rift-related situations than visitors in space crafts, is that correct?"

"Yep. London seems to get all the space craft action."

"Isn't UNIT supposed to handle them anyway?" Ianto asked.

"It depends" Jack said "in other parts of the world they're the front line but Torchwood was created to protect the UK from alien threats and that was before they knew anything about the Rift."

Llyr tapped his chin "Hypothetically speaking, what would you do if the Rift were to close? You could easily leave UNIT to handle the visitors that get through our defences. Perhaps you could go back to your old careers?"

"I can't do that" Jack said "It's impossible, more to the point I don't want to. But, I could find something else, if it came to that. I didn't want this job in the first place; I just needed the money. Why do you ask?"

"I'd like to hear from the ladies first, I know what Owen and Ianto would do. Miss Sato?"

Tosh was quiet for a moment "Oh, I don't know. My old job was pretty dull. I really haven't given it much thought to be honest."

"And Miss Cooper?"

Gwen blinked and said "I guess I would go back to the police if I had to."

"Why do you want to know, Tad?" Owen asked.

Llyr took a breath "As I said, the Council has been discussing the Rift in depth and if it were to close then it would open the way for the magical creatures of Earth to be more apparent to mortals and perhaps for us gods to be what we once were. You see, we feel that with all these aliens coming here so often, even the monotheistic mortals are losing their faith, slowly of course. But if we do not take action soon, then this will become a world of atheists and even the Creators, Mother and Father of gods and man will grow weaker. And if that happens…" he trailed off.

"But" Gwen said "people are free to make their own choices aren't they?"

"Of course you are, my dear. Will power is one of the greatest gifts given to both gods and men."

"It works both ways, you know" Hermes suddenly appeared in the room, he was wearing his herald's hat and what was essentially a sheet that was just barely modest.

"What are you doing here?" Ianto asked him.

"In a minute" Hermes held up a hand "mortals have will power and it is their choice to believe whatever they want, despite what's right in front of them. Just as it's the gods' right to do things to get them thinking about us, if they're willing too. The Fates and everyone else like them have said that if even the Jews, Christians and Muslims lose their faith in the Father then this world will be thrown into more chaos then it already is. Mortals have the choice to worship Whomever they wish, no matter what. But if nobody is believing in _anyone_ then we will _all_ fade into oblivion, like in that episode of Star Trek. You may think you don't need us anymore but you do, you always will. Faith, hope and love people; that has always been the case." He was literally standing on a soap box during that speech.

"Do you have a message, Lord Hermes?" Llyr asked.

Hermes took a breath "Yes; the Council has reached a decision. While we cannot close the Rift to the entire universe, we can block the stretch of it that runs through our solar system and that is what we are going to do."

Jack was the first one to break the silence that followed "Why?"

"Because we have will power too and if we want to close the damn thing we can. And since most mortals don't know a thing about the Rift, it doesn't matter to them either way. Gotta love loop holes."

"But Owen and Ianto said…"

"I know what they told you, Captain but they're just godlings, they don't know a whole lot. And they don't have the power to assist in closing it anyway. However those of us over 3,000 can, those of who are kept fairly strong because of mythology and hieroglyphics and almost an entire nation of people who still believe. That's the Greeks, Egyptians and Hindu by the way and there are a few others but I'm not here to give you a history lesson."

"When will this happen?" Tosh asked quietly.

"Soon. You guys might not be able to fight aliens that come through the Rift anymore but you can go after afancs and ogres and manticores if you like."

Owen stared at him "Why would there be a manticore in Wales?"

Hermes shrugged "I don't know, maybe he got lost."

Ianto arched an eyebrow "That's not foreshadowing is it? I know how you are."

Hermes just grinned. Rather wickedly.

…

* * *

**If I missed any typos that make sentences not make sense, blame the heat and lack of air conditioning. I just caught several places where I had typed Arawen instead of Llyr. I was like, where the hell did he come from? Thank goodness I caught it.**

**Now, what should we do next? I don't think there are many chapters left, especially once I close the Rift. I know what you want, some Jack and Ianto action, yeah? And maybe a little Owen and Tosh?**

**So, you want me to sic Zeus on Gwen? And then get Hera after her in a jealous rage? Or should we just stick Gwen back in the police? Maybe she chooses to have her memory altered? But if you ask me, she would have made a better annoying reporter than a policewoman.**

**Reviews are food for the muses.**

**TTFN**


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